Apparently, running the Boston Marathon six days prior is the way to win at Pike's Peek.

So it would seem after Wilson Komen, who finished 12th in 2:24:06 at Boston, and Victoria Klimina (photo left), eighth in 2:33:20, cruised to convincing first-place finishes at the ninth Pike's Peek 10K in Rockville. Komen, from Kenya, ran 30 minutes 46 seconds and Klimina, from Russia, ran 34:57; each claimed $500 in prize money.

"My legs were not tired today," Komen said. "The weather was perfect."

Perfect may be a bit of an exaggeration, but cloudy skies and temperatures in the middle 50s probably felt pretty comfortable after marathoners in Boston suffered under sunny skies and temperatures in the low 80s. Unfortunately for many of the 2,360 finishers at Pike's Peek who sought fast times on the generally quick point-to-point course, a headwind came from the south and slowed performances considerably compared to years past.

But women's winner Klimina was hardly deterred. She led from the start and outdistanced Casey Smith, from Arlington, who ran 35:46. Smith, 24, was fourth last year in 35:19. Emily Richard, 27, from Washington, was third in the same time as Smith.

Klimina was third in 53:08 at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile on April 4.

"This was just a training run for Victoria," said her agent, Konstantin Selinevich. "She's feeling just fine after Boston."

Komen, who lives in Washington, took the lead from a group of five men before halfway. Todd Moroney, 27, from Memphis, finished second in 31:06. Christopher Raabe, 25, from Bethesda, was third in 31:09.

Russian twin brothers Dmitry and Aleksander Kapitonov, 37, who have been training in Gaithersburg with Selinevich's athletes, ran with the leaders early but finished sixth and seventh, in 32:19 and 32:30, respectively. (Photo left: Dmitry, with Aleksander in the background.)

The race is a rite of spring for many area runners, and one of the hallmarks of the host Montgomery County Road Runners Club. MCRRC president Jean Arthur, 41, finished 41st in 45:45; Arthur is in triathlon training.

Afterward, and despite the relatively cool conditions, runners descended on the impressive post-race brunch array in the White Flint Mall parking lot, enjoying everything from ice cream to pork barbeque. Just rewards--desserts, too--for fine efforts.

See complete results of the Pike's Peek 10K.

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