Colorado Runner - Issue 38: November/December 2009

R

Inside: Your Calcium Concerns Answered

colorado

unner TM

Races of the Year We rank the best races in 2009!

Issue 38: November/December 2009 www.coloradorunnermag.com

$3.00 US $4.50 CAN 11 >

0

7447 0 0556 7

9

How To Be A Better Downhill Runner Meet Legend Melody Fairchild

>> CONTENTS << FEATURES 10

RACES OF THE YEAR

12

TRAINING SMARTS: DOWNHILL RUNNING

14

RUNNING LEGEND MELODY FAIRCHILD

18

NUTRITION ADVANTAGE: CALCIUM CONCERNS

30

THE LIGHTER SIDE: THE QUILT CONNECTION DEPARTMENTS

9

RUNNING SHORTS

20

RACE REPORTS

23

RACE RESULTS

28

EVENT GUIDE CREDITS Editor Jessica Griffiths Jessica@coloradorunnermag.com Web Editor

Connilee Walter

Connilee Walter

Contributing Writers

Nancy Clark, Bob Gassen, Jason Karp, Bruce Kirschner, Alan Lind, Connilee Walter

Contributing Photographers

Bernie Boettcher, Brad Clayton, Lisa Coniglio, Dan Hudson, Steve Glass, Bruce Kirschner, Victor Sailer, Connilee Walter

ADVERTISING AND MARKETING Publisher / Advertising Derek Griffiths Derek@coloradorunnermag.com 720-985-9047 National Account Rep Larry Eder, Running Network larry.eder@gmail.com The entire contents of this magazine are Copyright 2009 by Colorado Runner LLC. Colorado Runner is a registered trademark of Colorado Runner LLC. All rights reserved. The contents, in whole or in part, may not be reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the publisher.

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES Your satisfaction is very important to us. Colorado Runner is mailed out via USPS bulk mail and WILL NOT be automatically forwarded to a new address. For questions regarding your subscription and all address changes, please contact us promptly. You can e-mail you change of address to derek@ coloradorunnermag.com.

Colorado Runner is published six times a year and is available through paid subscription, newsstands and speciality stores in Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming. An annual subscription costs $12.97. To subscribe, please send payment to Colorado Runner Subscriptions, 12085 Pommert Rd, Greenfield, OH, 45123. Please include your current address, phone and e-mail.

Subscriptions are also available online at coloradorunnermag. com.

COVER: A solitary runner descends into Telluride during the Imogene Pass Run. Photo by Bernie Boettcher THIS PAGE: Smiles abound during the Golden Leaf Half Marathon in Aspen.

Photo by Bernie Boettcher

EDITORIAL SUBMISSION Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, race results or other materials are welcome. We prefer email submissions to jessica@coloradorunnermag.com The publication deadline for each issue is one month prior to its release.

Colorado Runner is printed on 20% recycled (10% post-consumer waste) paper. All inks used contain a percentage of soy base.

DURANGO MOTORLESS TRANSIT

coloradorunnermag.com

November/December 2009

FORT COLLINS RUNNING CLUB

>> LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER <<

Subscribe Now!

Holiday Reading

With the holidays approaching, you may be looking for a perfect running-related gift. While I usually tell my family to buy me running shoes, socks, shorts, and shirts, I often have a book or two that I want as well. Here are a few of my top picks. These aren’t training books or nutrition logs, but rather novels and stories about running that I find interesting or inspiring.

1. Once A Runner: A Novel by John L Parker

This is my all-time favorite running book. It’s the inspirational story of Quenton Cassidy’s running career as a college-aged miler. The descriptions of what it’s like to run and race as a serious runner are very realistic. If you can’t quote entire passages from this novel, then I’m not sure you’re that dedicated as a runner.

2. Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall

Born to Run is an adventure that began with one question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of distance runners and learn their secrets. The reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico practice techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it.

Address:______________ City:__________________ State, Zip Code:________ Email:________________ Phone:________________ Start subscription with issue: ________________________________

Best Value: 3 years plus a pair of socks: $25.97 circle one: S, M, L 2 years: $17.97 1 year, $9.97 Mail this form with payment to: Colorado Runner Subscriptions 12085 Pommert Rd Greenfield, OH 45123

4. Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner by Dean Karnazes

I think it’s impossible to read this memoir without wanting to go out and run a marathon yourself. Ultra-marathoner Dean Karnazes claims “There is magic in misery.” It’s impossible to not admire his tenacity in pushing his body to reach one extreme goal after another.

5. Duel in the Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley, and America’s Greatest Marathon by John Brant

In 1982, Alberto Salazar and Dick Beardsley ran the entire 26.2 miles of the Boston Marathon neck and neck, finishing within two seconds of each other. Brant describes the runner’s careers leading up to the race, describes the race itself, and, most significantly, analyzes its aftermath.

6. Pre: The Story of America’s Greatest Running Legend, Steve Prefontaine by Tom Jordan

University of Oregon track star Steve Prefontaine finished fourth in the 5,000 meter race at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Beyond that, he set numerous American records. But it was his personality, not his records, that set him apart.

7. The Purple Runner: A Novel by Paul Christman

While this novel is no longer in print, I mention it because I love it and if you can get your hands on a copy, it’s definitely worth the read. It tells a story of a New Zealand woman marathoner who looks to break her cycle of “not quite good enough finishes” and a mystery man who is world class but has a disfigured face and is embarrassed by it.

8. Thirty Phone Booths to Boston by Don Kardong

This book will make you laugh out loud. It contains many humorous running stories by the former elite runner, but it also makes you think, as he describes the impact President Carter’s decision to boycott the 1980 Olympics had on his running career.

Happy trails!

Derek Correction: In the September/October issue of Colorado Runner, the All-Time Colorado Half Marathon Record for women 60-64 should have been Laurie Rugenstein with a 1:43:49 in the Boulder Half Marathon on September 20, 2008. At the time of publication, the All Time Colorado Marathon Record for women 60-64 should have been Carol Kinzy with a 3:44:15 at the Colorado Marathon in Fort Collins on May 3, 2009. coloradorunnermag.com

November/December 2009

Steve Glass / Glass Photography

Name:________________

3. Running With the Buffaloes: A Season Inside with Mark Wetmore, Adam Goucher, and the University of Colorado Men’s Cross-Country Team by Chris Lear

Who wouldn’t want to read about one of the best cross country programs in the nation?

Chris Lear follows the Buffaloes through the 1998 season, one with many high points but also marked by the tragic death of one of its team members. The book minutely details the training and coaching techniques used to produce a top team.

>> Construction

• 30 degree angled display • Wide easy-press buttons • Seamless polyurethane natural-fit strap • Stainless steel bezel/caseback/buckle • Scratch-resistant mineral crystal • 100m water resistant

>> Function

• 300 lap memory data storage • Calorie consumption calculator • 2-phase interval / chrono timers • Pacesetter / Alarm tones • Dual time zone / 24hr time • Backlight glow

www.somawatches.com

Seiko Instruments Inc.

>> THE STARTING LINE <<

“Taking charge of your body can help you take charge of your life. And that power can help you go wherever you want to go, every single day.”

Runner’s enjoy the beauty of the Front Range during the Zooma Half Marathon.

Photo courtesy of Brightroom.com

-Cheryl Bridges Treworgy, Member of five U.S. World Cross Country teams

>> RUNNING SHORTS << 2:42:49.

U.S. Mountain Running Team Wins Bronze in Italy

The 25th running of the World Mountain Running Championship was held in the winter ski village of Madesimo, Italy, located three hours by bus from Milan.

In the senior women’s race, which featured 1,800’ of climb and descent, Brandy Erholtz of Bailey, CO, led the way for the USA finishing tenth in 45:23. Christine Lundy of Sausalito, CA (45:41 - 13th), Megan Kimmel of Silverton (45:46 - 15th), and Megan Lund of Basalt (46:11 - 17th) helped the USA grab the bronze medal with 38 points.

In the senior men’s race, Rickey Gates of Boulder and Tim Parr of Gunnison crossed the line in 1:01:36 and 1:01:38. The USA finished in sixth with 117 points.

Team manager Nancy Hobbs of Colorado Springs, and women’s team manager Ellen Miller of Vail were among several people who accompanied the team to Italy.

Colleen De Reuck of Boulder won the women’s crown at the USA 20K Championships in New Haven, Connecticut. De Reuck crossed the finish line in 1:07:21. At 45, De Reuck is the oldest woman to win a major U.S. championship. By five miles De Reuck had dropped all the other runners to cruise to a 17 second win, earning her second USA 20K title.

Six Colorado athletes claimed their division titles at the XTERRA USA Championship in September at Snowbasin Resort in Ogden, Utah. Female winners included Amelia Vandyke of Vail in the 20-24 division, Jaime Brede of Breckenridge in the 30-34 division, and Cindi Toepel of Littleton in the 55-59 division who celebrated her fifth Career XTERRA USA Championship Title. Male winners included Jason Michalak of Lakewood in the 30-34 category, Ed Oliver of Broomfield in the 40-44 division, and Kevin Shelden of Breckenridge in the 45-49 category.

Local Athletes Compete at Track and Field World Championships

Ritzenhein Sets American Record in the 5,000 Meters

Several elite track and field athletes from Colorado placed well at the IAAF World Championships in Berlin, Germany in August.

Two-time U.S. champion Jenny Barringer of Boulder came storming from behind over the last 200 meters of the women’s 3,000 meter steeplechase final to finish fifth in a new American record time of 9:12.50.

Casey Malone of Fort Collins saved his greatest throw for last and ended up with his best placing ever in a men’s discus final at a major international championship. Malone’s final throw of 66.06 meters/216 feet 9 inches was good enough for fifth place.

Former CU Buff Dathan Ritzenhein posted a personal best time of 27:22.28 with his sixth-place finish in the men’s 10,000 meters.

Ritzenhein’s time is the best ever by an American in the 10,000 at a World Outdoor Championships.

Former CU runner Kara Goucher finished 10th in the women’s marathon in 2 hours, 27 minutes, and 48 seconds. Tera Moody of Boulder placed 28th in 2:36:39. Paige Higgins, formerly of Littleton, finished 30th in 2:37:11, while Zoila Gomez of Alamosa placed 30th in

Dathan Ritzenhein, a former CU runner, set an American record in the men’s 5,000 meters at the Weltklasse Zurich track meet, the fifth leg of the 2009 Golden League Series. His time of 12:56.27 was almost two seconds faster than the old record. It was an almost 20 second personal best for Ritzenhein, which makes him the second-fastest non-African in history and only the third American ever to run under 13 minutes. Bob Kennedy held the previous record for 13 years.

Victor Sailer / Photo Run.net

De Reuck Wins USA Title at 45

Wicked Fast Triathlon Team Qualifies 17 To Nationals

On September 5th, the Colorado Springs USA Triathlon High Performance Team, WickedFast, competed in the IronKids Triathlon series in Avon, Colorado. More than 250 youth athletes ranging in age from 5 to 15 tested themselves on a safe but challenging course at 8,000 feet of elevation. The WickedFast triathletes swam, biked and ran their way to earn seven first place finishes, four second place and two third place spots on the podium. As well, they took home three fourth place and one fifth place title. Athletes that place in the top five secure their spot in the Ironkids National Championship Race in Tucson, Arizona.

Donaldson Sets American Record

Six Colorado Triathletes Win At XTERRA National Champs Colleen De Reuck

in 50:58. The trail race was run under perfect conditions with temperatures in the upper 60s and sunny skies. The terrain was a mixture of everything from grass to fire roads to wide trails to tight single-track. The footing ranged from relatively smooth to highly technical.

Jamie Donaldson of Littleton set an American record in the women’s 200,000 meters in September at the 28th Annual Ottawa International 24 Hour Self-Transcendence Race in Canada. The fifth-place finisher at the 2008 24 Hour World Championships, Donaldson destroyed the 18-year old American record by completing 200,000 meters on the track in 21 hours, 1 minute, and 28 seconds en route to running 214.487K in 24 hours. The previous record of 21:08:47 was set by Sue Ellen Trapp in 1991.

As the overall winner, Donaldson ended her 24 hour run in dominating fashion, as her next closest competitor, runner-up Andrew McLean of Ontario, ran 202.943K. Dathan Ritzenhein

Ames and Goldsmith Win Masters Titles At Trail Champs

Several Colorado mountain runners traveled to Laurel Springs, North Carolina to compete in the USA 10K Trail Championship, hosted by the inaugural FootRx Continental Divide Trail Race. The USA Masters champions were two Colorado friends, Andy Ames and Lisa Goldsmith, in 47:24 and 52:45, respectively. Brandy Erholtz of Bailey earned the runner-up slot in the open division in 49:18, while Gina Lucrezi of Colorado Springs finished third November/December 2009

coloradorunnermag.com

2009 Race of the year The Colorado Marathon tops our list of Colorado’s best races in the past year.

Held on one of America’s most scenic marathon courses, runners return year after 2009 year to descend the majestic Poudre Canyon into Fort Collins. The race includes a marathon, half marathon, 10K, and a 5K. The Colorado Marathon has been held for eight years. The race takes place in Race Of The Year early May and offers an excellent course, race management, and volunteers. Over the years, the race has donated more than $50,000 to local and national charities and other beneficiaries.

Race director Brian Cathcart said, “I’m so proud of this event and the folks that help make this one of the best small events in America. It’s a true hidden treasure. We finished over 1,000 in the marathon for the first time, which is such a proud accomplishment for us. We capped both the full and half marathon six weeks before the event. We do not advertise much so you know the word is spreading.

We had folks from every state and six countries. We work ourselves into the ground to provide a safe, fun and memorable event. We put quality into everything.

The marathon course is USATF certified and happens to be one of the most successful races in the nation at providing Boston Marathon qualifying performances. The Colorado Marathon, formerly called The Old Town Marathon, qualified 16-18% of all entrants in each of its first eight years, a higher percentage than any other marathon in the country. The course was changed slightly in the summer of 2005 and is now faster than the previous one. The net drop is slightly higher and race organizers removed a small out and back portion which included an uphill section.

Previous Winners: 2008: Bolder Boulder, 2007: Garden of the Gods 10 Miler, 2006: Georgetown to Idaho Springs Half Marathon, 2005: Pikes Peak Marathon

The rest of the best Best Marathon: Denver Marathon

The Denver Marathon follows a scenic route designed by renowned Boston Marathon and Denver Marathon Race Director Dave McGillivray. Nearly 2,000 marathoners, 4,000 half marathoners, and 250 relay teams competed in the event, which travels past many of Denver’s well-known landmarks, such as the Denver Public Library, the Denver Art Museum, the Pepsi Center, and Coors Field. Runners of all speeds and abilities enjoy running in this Denver tradition and enjoy live music at each of the three city parks along the race route. The large post-race festival in Civic Center Park offers live entertainment, a beer garden, and dozens of vendors.

2008 winner: Boulder Marathon 10 coloradorunnermag.com

2007 winner: Denver Marathon 2006 winner: Steamboat Marathon 2005 winner: Colorado Marathon

Best Half Marathon: Platte River Half

More than 1,100 runners finished in the 2009 Platte River Half Marathon and 86 teams completed in the Buckhorn Exchange Relay in April. Jason Delaney set a new course record in 1:08:48. The race traveled two miles through downtown Littleton, before turning onto a paved bike path. Each runner received a long sleeve Brooks technical shirt, lunch at the finish line in Denver, compliments of the Buckhorn Exchange, El Chili Rojo and the Melting Pot, and a ticket on the RTD Light Rail back to downtown Littleton. The popular awards were

November/December 2009

gift certificates to the Buckhorn Exchange and Runner’s Roost. Post race entertainment was provided by the Littleton Community Band.

2008 winner: Golden Leaf Half Marathon 2007 winner: Rocky Mountain Half Marathon 2006 winner: Horsetooth Half Marathon 2005 winner: Boulder Half Marathon

Best 10K: Fans on the Field 10K

This sports-fan-friendly event takes runners through three of Denver’s professional sports arenas – INVESCO Field at Mile High, Pepsi Center and Coors Field. Runners get cheered on by the Broncos Cheerleaders and team mascots, including Broncos’ mascot Bucky, Denver Nuggets’ Supermascot Rocky, and the

This Page: Derek Griffiths Opposite: Top = Dan Hudson, Bottom = FotoJack.com

Not everyone can win the top prize. Here are the results of our online survey for Colorado’s other top events.

Colorado Mammoth’s mascot Woolly. Held in September, the race attracted 2,000 runners and walkers between the 10K and 5K races, which helped raise $65,000 for the National Sports Center for the Disabled.

2008 winner: Ten Mile Creek 10K 2007 winner: Classic 10K 2006 winner: Bolder Boulder 10K 2005 winner: Evergreen Town Race 10K

Best 5K: Race For Fetal Hope 5K

More than 600 runners took part in the Race for Fetal Hope 5K in Denver’s Washington Park last November. The post-race family expo includes food, games, and live entertainment, as well as special guests, such as sports players, celebrities, and even costumed characters for the children. Sponsored by Children’s Hospital, the funds from the race go to saving babies lives and giving hope to families by spreading awareness of fetal syndromes, providing financial and emotional support to families, and by funding medical research.

2008 winner: Aspen Race for the Cure 5K 2007 winner: Iron Girl 5K 2006 winner: Alex Hoag Run for Sunshine 5K 2005 winner: Stadium Stampede 5K

Best Ultra: Collegiate Peaks 50 Miler

Beginning and ending near the Arkansas River in Buena Vista, the local Optimist Club organizes this annual event for endurance runners. The course primarily follows single-track and Jeep trails along the historic Midland Railroad. Encompassing great scenery and spectacular views, much of the course runs through lands managed by the National Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. Held in the spring, the race has been known to offer unpredictable and fickle weather, but last year’s event was manageable with temperatures in the 30s through 50s and only a few sprinkles of rain.

Runners were treated to a prerace pasta dinner, long sleeve technical running shirts, and a postrace dinner. Many runners commented that they enjoyed that each aid station was stocked with a variety of water, energy drink, pretzels, potato chips, cookies, M&Ms, and bananas.

2008 winner: Greenland 50K 2007 winner: Leadville Trail 100 2006 winner: San Juan Solstice 50 2005 winner: Leadville Trail 100

Best Non-Ultra Trail Race: Pikes Peak Marathon and Ascent

Our 2005 Race of the Year won in the Best Non-Ultra Trail Race category this year. And while it’s technically not an ultra trail run, thousands of finishers would likely say that it sure feels like one. Both events climb 7,815 vertical feet, leaving runners gasping for air. Coined “America’s Ultimate Challenge,” the August event also has competitors battle anything from blazing heat to snow. With a 50year history, top-notch awards, prize money, and superior organization, this is one of the best events in the nation.

2008 winner: Imogene Pass Run 2007 winner: Barr Trail Mountain Race 2006 winner: Vail Hill Climb 2005 winner: Barr Trail Mountain Race

Most Scenic: Transrockies Run

The views of the gorgeous Colorado high country make the Gortex Transrockies Run difficult but doable. The August stage race travels more than 100 miles over six days of spectacular and breathtaking running with two-person teams. Starting in Buena Vista, the course follows steep, often single track trails at dizzying elevations past Leadville, Red Cliff, and the back bowls of Vail, before ending in beautiful Beaver Creek. The event provides tent accommodations, catered meals, fully stocked check points, daily awards ceremonies, daily bag transport, and competitor gifts.

2007 winner: Garden of the Gods 10M 2007 winner: Mt. Evans Ascent 2006 winner: Lead King Loop 2005 winner: Rim Rock Run

Best Race Series: Pikes Peak Road Runner’s Fall Series

The Pikes Peak Road Runner’s Fall Running Series includes four races in four different Colorado Springs area parks. The courses are run on trails that range from being well maintained to very rocky with tree roots, hay bales, and water crossings. The series is progressive, meaning each run is longer than the previous one; however, the courses change slightly each year based on the race director’s whim, so there are no permanent course maps.

The series begins with a 3.5 mile trail run at

Best Half Marathon: Platte River Half

Most Scenic: Transrockies Run North Monument Valley Park, followed by a 4.5 mile race at Bear Creek Park. Next was 5.5 miles at Ute Valley Park, then another 5.5 miles at Palmer Park. Finishers of the entire series, which takes place between October and November, received a technical race shirt.

2008 winner: Vail Trail Running Series 2007 winner: Steamboat Running Series 2006 winner: Summit Trail Running Series 2005 winner: Vail Trail Race Series

Best Post-Race Party: Panicking Poultry

After 800 runners and walkers finished last year’s Panicking Poultry 5K in Boulder, they celebrated at one of the area’s best post-race celebrations. This year’s November event offers a meal by Carrabba’s Italian Grill in Louisville, with additional refreshments provided by Boulder’s Avery Brewing Company and Harpo’s Sports Grill. Race organizers give away dozens of door prizes from key sponsors, including Boulder Running Company, Brooks, and Ryders Eyewear. The 5K benefits the Colorado Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

2008 winner: Slacker Half Marathon 2007 winner: Horsetooth Half Marathon 2006 winner: Runnin’ of the Green 7K

Best Weekend Getaway: Gateway Canyons Foot Race Series

Gateway is a small, beautiful red rock canyon country south of Grand Junction.

With a series of seven races, including the Better Half Marathon and the Sky Mesa Pass Marathon, Gateway offers a weekend getaway full of trail running, mountain biking, rock climbing, horseback riding, fly fishing, and more. With running events held year-round, a weekend running vacation to Western Colorado is possible just when you need it.

2008 winner: Lead King Loop 2007 winner: Breckenridge Crest Marathon 2006 winner: Estes Park Marathon 2005 winner: Durango Marathon Award Rules: The 2008 race winner was not eligible to win in the same category in 2009. To be eligible for race of the year, an event must be at least five years old. There were 321 responses to our online survey.

by dr. jason karp, Ph.D.

>> TRAINING SMARTS <<

your muscles’ ability to produce force, which slows your pace on the flat and uphill portions of the race and leads to delayed-onset muscle soreness, which includes an inflammatory response and lasts for a few days following the race as your muscle fibers heal. Eccentric contractions are also unique in that fewer muscle fibers are active compared to other types of muscle contractions, causing the force generated to be distributed over a smaller area of muscle. A greater force over a smaller area equals greater tension, which causes even more damage.

Downhill running also affects running economy, the amount of oxygen you consume to maintain a given pace. A number of studies have shown a significant decrease in running economy for up to one week following a 30-minute downhill run on a 10 to 15 percent grade.

Downhill Training

It’s All Downhill From Here If you’re a runner in Colorado, you know what running downhill can do to your legs. Running hills in training and racing is impossible to escape in the Rocky Mountains. Even though running uphill seems harder, it’s the downhills that cause the biggest problems. Here’s how to include downhill running in your training and how to gear up for your next dowhill race course.

Six weeks before the Chicago Marathon, 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials hopeful Benjamin Gailey ran the 170-mile mountainous Colorado Relay. “The idea was to give me easy downhill relay legs since the Chicago Marathon was six weeks away,” he says. “My first leg started at 11,200 feet and dropped 1,900 feet in 6.8 miles. I ran the first four miles in 18:55.

I knew I was cruising, but had no idea gravity was pulling me down that quickly. Warming up for my next leg—nine miles with an 1,800-foot descent—was quite painful. My last leg was five miles that dropped ‘only’ 600 feet. After the race, I took a nap in the rental van for two hours.

When I awoke and put one leg out of the van, I nearly fell to the ground. I couldn’t even walk.

Needless to say, I didn’t do so well at Chicago that year.”

12 coloradorunnermag.com

Physiology of Downhill Running

If you’ve ever run a race with long or steep downhills, you know what running downhill can do to your legs. Even though running uphill seems harder, it’s the downhills that cause the biggest problems. The reason downhills are so tough is because of all the gravity-induced eccentric muscle contractions, during which your muscle fibers are forced to lengthen, causing them to tear. The muscle damage decreases

Downhill Racing

Trashed quads and faster than usual speeds during downhill races require a keen sense of pace, confidence to stick to your plan when others have taken the pace out too fast, and a good dose of self-restraint. Ideally, you want to race downhill with the same feeling that you use when you’re racing on flat ground.

“Treat downhill workouts as hard sessions, and make sure you recover before your next hard workout since your legs need recovery from the stress of going downhill, just like they do from any hard workout.”

November/December 2009

Brad Clayton

Runners sprint to the finish in the Superior Downhill Mile.

Damaging muscle fibers with eccentric contractions makes them heal back stronger, protecting them from future damage. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology in 1985 found that just a single 30-minute run downhill at 10 percent grade had a prophylactic effect on muscle damage and soreness for up to six weeks. Therefore, while you can expect your muscles to be sore after the first time running downhill, subsequent downhill workouts will cause less soreness. Add downhills to your training a little at a time. Start with a short, gradual slope of about two to three percent grade, and progress to steeper and longer descents.

Treat downhill workouts as hard sessions, and make sure you recover before your next hard workout since your legs need recovery from the stress of going downhill, just like they do from any hard workout. Time has the greatest effect on healing your muscle fibers from the eccentric contractions of downhill running. So make sure you back off of the hills in the final few weeks before a race.

One thing to be aware of when training downhill is your mechanics, since it’s easy to overstride when running downhill. Instead of focusing on reaching forward for a longer stride - which already happens from the pull of gravity - emphasize a quicker leg turnover, which will keep your momentum going forward. Since you’re running faster on the downhill compared to the flat portions of trails, you won’t have as much time to decide where to place your feet, so look ahead a few steps so you can prepare since the footing on trails is often unreliable.

Practice holding your goal race pace while you’re heading downhill so you can duplicate the effort during the race. Because momentum will make your goal pace feel much easier than it does on flat ground, it’s important to understand how to hold that intensity so you don’t run the downhill portions too fast and trash your quads. That’s what happened to Nicole Prause, Ph.D., while winning the 2007 Pocatello Marathon in Idaho, which drops 1,500 feet in the first 14 miles. “I had a goal pace in mind and a GPS for feedback every quarter mile. I found it extremely difficult to make adjustments to maintain an even pace,” she says. “One quarter was too fast and, although I tried to slow down, the next quarter would have a steeper drop. What felt hard was far under my planned split, and what felt easy was still under split. Having run several downhill races since, I think the downhill needs to be considered in setting a goal pace.”

The best downhill running skill to develop during training is the ability to run with different exertion levels. For example, learn to simulate 10K race pace intensity, rather than 10K pace, while running downhill. While your pace will be faster than 10K pace, you’ll develop the awareness and control to differentiate between different paces for different downhill environments. When racing downhill, focus on running at 10K intensity, given that the pace will fluctuate depending on the nature of the course.

Next time you train for a downhill race, prepare beforehand and get plenty of recovery. If you train smart enough, you’ll be able to charge up the other side of the hills while your competitors are laboring from the downhill damage.

Dr. Jason R. Karp is a nationally-recognized speaker, writer, and exercise physiologist who coaches recreational runners to Olympic hopefuls through his company, RunCoachJason.com.

He holds a Ph.D. in exercise physiology.

Downhill Workouts To train for downhill races, try these workouts.

For complete downhill races: • 4 x ½ mile downhill (2-3% grade) at 5K race pace effort • 3 x 1 mile downhill (2-3% grade) at 10K race pace effort • 5 x 100 to 200 meters downhill (6-8% grade) at 5K race pace effort with walk back uphill as recovery For races with both downhill and uphill: • 4 sets of 1 mile downhill (2-3% grade) at tempo pace effort + ¼ mile uphill at 5K race pace effort • 4 sets of ½ mile uphill + ½ mile downhill (2-3% grade) at 5K race pace effort with 3 minutes recovery

Downhill Races Popular Downhill Races in Colorado Superior Downhill Mile; Superior, CO; July Start: 5,400 feet, Finish: 5,220 feet Offers runners a chance to set their mile personal best on the roads of Superior.

Evergreen Town Race 10K; Evergreen, CO; August Start: 7,450 feet, Finish: 7,250 feet The course winds gradually down Upper Bear Creek, finisheing near Evergreen Lake, and treats participants to a scenic, yet fast race.

10 Mile Creek 10K; Frisco, CO; June Start: 9,700 feet, Finish: 9,150 feet This race is 100% downhill. It starts at Copper Mountain and finishes in downtown Frisco in Summit County. It is run in conjunction with the Run the Rockies Half Marathon.

Slacker Half Marathon; Georgetown, CO; June Start: 10,630 feet, Finish: 8,400 feet The course begins at Loveland Ski area and travels over a rolling descent, with the first 5 miles on dirt roads through a forest of wetlands and waterfalls.

Georgetown to Idaho Springs Half Marathon; Idaho Springs, CO; August Start: 8,515 feet, Finish: 7,515 feet One of Colorado’s largest half marathons got that way because of the 1,000 foot drop in elevation. The race offers a scenic course that winds down the Clear Creek Valley.

Steamboat Marathon; Steamboat Springs, CO; June Start: 8,128 feet, Finish: 6,728 feet Held in the beautiful Yampa Valley, the course begins at historic Hahns Peak Village, follows a paved country road down the Elk River Valley, and finishes in Steamboat Springs.

Popular Downhill Races Nationwide La Jolla Shores 5K; La Jolla, CA; April Start: 300 feet, Finish: sea-level The course drops 300 feet in the first mile, is flat for the second mile, and climbs 150 feet from 2 to 2.5 miles before dropping back down to sea-level at the finish in La Jolla Cove.

Hollis Apple Country Fast 5K; Hollis, NH; June Start: 408 feet, Finish: 184 feet Running through Hollis Monument Square and by the orchards of small-town New Hampshire, the entire course is downhill with an elevation loss of 224 feet.

Deseret News 10K; Salt Lake City, UT; July Start: 4,979 feet, Finish: 4,268 feet This race includes 738 feet of descent with only 27 feet of ascent.

Deseret News Marathon; Salt Lake City, UT; July Start: 7,450 feet Finish: 4,272 feet The course includes 4,130 feet of descent and 952 feet of elevation.

Lake Tahoe 10K; Lake Tahoe, NV; September Start: 6,780 feet, Finish: 6,219 feet This race starts atop Emerald Bay and is 99% downhill or flat, with views of Emerald Bay, Cascade Lake, and Lake Tahoe.

Tucson Half-Marathon; Tucson, AZ; December Start: 3,872 feet, Finish: 3,062 feet All downhill, the course runs along the Santa Catalina mountain range, covering the second half of the full marathon.

Pocatello Marathon; Pocatello, ID; August Start: 6,000 feet, Finish: 4,500 feet All of the course’s descent is in the first 14 miles.

St. George Marathon; St. George, UT; October Start: 5,240 feet, Finish: 2,680 feet Most of this course’s downhill occurs in the second half.

November/December 2009

coloradorunnermag.com 13

by bruce kirschner

>> RUNNING LEGENDS <<

Running Legend Melody Fairchild

As a high school sophomore she placed second in her first appearance at the 1989 Kinney (now Foot Locker) National High School Cross Country Championships. The next year she returned to win the event. As a high school senior in 1991 Melody successfully defended her title, this time breaking the course record by 59 seconds. She is one of only six two-time Foot Locker National Champions and still holds the course record (16:39) in San Diego’s Balboa Park. During her senior year she also made U.S. running history by becoming the first high school girl to break 10 minutes for two miles by winning the Scholastic National Indoor Championship (9:55.92). She also set the indoor 3,000 meter record at the same time (9:17.7).

Melody won the Bolder Boulder 10K citizens race in 1989, 1990, and 1991. Her winning time as a high school senior would have placed her second in the women’s elite race in 1991. She was a bronze medalist at the World Junior Cross Country Championships in Antwerp, Belgium in 1991. The Denver Athletic Club named her Colorado Athlete of the Year the same year.

Heavily recruited by colleges, Melody chose to go to the University of Oregon in Eugene. Despite widely held high expectations, a hip injury kept her from running her freshman year. She took the next year off and returned for her sophomore year in 1993. Melody regained her form and won the 10,000 meter Pac-10 Conference title and the NCAA 3,000 meter title in 1996. She also earned All-American honors in cross country while at Oregon.

She graduated from Oregon in 1996 and qualified for the 1997 World Championships in the 5,000 meters, representing the U.S. in Athens, Greece. She was twice an Olympic Trials qualifier, once in the 10,000 meters and once in the marathon.

In 2005, Boulder Daily Camera readers voted her the best high school athlete in the history of Boulder County. More recently, she has coached high school and college runners as well as youth in her running club, the Fairchild Flyers. She also founded and directs the Melody Fairchild Running Camp For Girls (melodyfairchild.com), an all-girl summer training camp at the YMCA of the Rockies. Melody was inducted into the Colorado Running Hall of Fame in 2008 and currently lives in Nederland, Colorado.

You’ve had quite a remarkable running career.

What were the highlights for you?

My greatest highlight was winning the 1991 Footlocker National High School Cross Country Championship in record setting time.

Another highlight was winning the Pac-10 team title with my team of University of Oregon Ducks during my senior year of college, defeating Stanford by just one point. Running alongside Joanie Benoit and the best women runners in the country at the 2000 Olympic Marathon trials was also a significant highlight. Finally, winning and setting a new course record at the 2000 Breckenridge Crest Mountain Marathon (24.5 miles) was memorable for me.

Melody Fairchild is arguably the best American high school female distance runner of all time. She was born September 10, 1973 in Boulder and began running in the city’s foothills at age nine. Melody won eight Colorado track and cross country state championship titles for Boulder High School and still holds the state records for cross country (16:45.1 in 1989), 1,600 meters (4:49.86 in 1991), and 3,200 meters (10:34.09 in 1990).

14 coloradorunnermag.com

November/December 2009

I had run a 1:11:34 half marathon in the previous six months, which was faster than anyone else there, so I came in as one of the favorites to make the marathon team. I was feeling good. My training had paid off and I felt really legitimate to enter that quality of a race and tow the line with the likes of Joanie Benoit Samuelson, Ann Marie Lauck, and Christine Clark, who eventually won. I was so excited I might have burned up some of my energy, a lesson all runners have to learn.

What was most memorable was the feeling of camaraderie among the women as we ran along through the miles of the marathon. It was very hot and people were very concerned. Joanie Benoit Samuelson was talking to us and encouraging the lead pack. Susannah Beck, one of the front runners, tripped and fell. Everyone was concerned, but we had to keep running. Susannah then caught back up to the lead pack. When she got to us she said, “I’m here” and everyone said, “Cool.” It was like we were all on this mission. There were only five of us in the breakaway

This Page: Victor Sailer / PhotoRun.net Opposite: Bruce Kirschner

Tell us more about your experience at the 2000 Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials in Columbia, South Carolina.

pack at mile 16. Then I started feeling something in my quads and within a mile my systems began shutting down. It was like someone was slowly dimming the lights until it was black. I had bonked and my sisters told me that I was in last place. Someone said, “Get in the car” and I wouldn’t.

Now I would never do that, I would have listened to them. You feel devastated when you’ve had that focus for so long. It’s hard to let go.

The positive out of that was that I learned the effectiveness of visualization and mental preparation. I had gone to South Carolina for four days the year before to train on the course. I did workouts on the last four miles of the course to prepare myself for a finishing kick to make the Olympic team. I visualized it over and over. Despite how terrible I had felt, when I actually hit the 22 mile point in the race it was like an invisible hand just came and lifted me up. It wasn’t physical energy, but something else that clicked then. It was my perception. I passed 50 people in the last 4 miles. So I didn’t finish in dead last.

I don’t believe I had a full supply of glycogen and also learned practical things about being nourished well enough for the race. I would take better care of my body now.

If you could re-live your running career, what would you have done differently?

I would have had more trust in myself and would have allowed myself to have more “down” and not expected to be “up” all the time. I think that was the cross-eyed bull I had to bear going into my college and professional careers having been the intense kid that I was. It wasn’t okay to have the down time and not be performing. Probably the only regret I have is that it troubled me so much when I was in college and not performing. In my eyes I wasn’t living up to my full ride scholarship. I didn’t trust in myself and chose to give up my scholarship for a year, which was crazy and really hurt. I didn’t just say, “It’s okay to screw up.” I don’t know how my Oregon coach did it, but to his credit he held the scholarship for me. So I think a lot of things go awry when we stop trusting in ourselves and don’t just give ourselves a little bit of a break.

What has your own training been in recent years?

In recent years I run between fifteen minutes and three hours a Fairchild today in Boulder.

day whenever I feel like it. I love running in the mountains and will hike or run up a trail to the top of a peak anytime. My training regimen has been enough to have a general level of fitness so I can go and enjoy road or cross country races. I’ve been mixing it up more with bicycling just to keep the balance in there. I enjoy working other muscle groups. My training regimen is really dictated by the need to keep up with the kids I coach, including those in my running camp, where we do a lot of running.

What do you believe is the most important training advice to share with competitive long distance runners for 5K to the marathon?

It’s important to do some nuts and bolts core and strength training of some kind. A ten minute warm up run before some core and strength training two days a week is worth more than that extra ten miler.

I wish I had done this earlier and more often in my running career.

Perhaps more importantly, pay attention to recovery. Balance is really tough for distance runners -- runners think that more is better and are afraid to stop and get out of shape. To get into that rarified place it takes going to some extreme. If we go to those extremes too often it means eventual physical injury and psychological burnout.

With all of the moving forward and pounding of joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles it also really helps to have some kind of practice that is an antidote to all of that. I think this would extend people’s running careers. It’s unfortunate that more runners don’t do that and give back to themselves because runners are often the most open and ready to accept that kind of thing. As the antidote, I would suggest lengthening the body in some way and not stretching muscle, something that Cortical Field ReEducation offers.

Tell us more about Cortical Field Re-Education, the form of alternative healing you practice.

The Cortical Field Re-Education, or CFR, is a method of working with the body that improves the communication between your sensory motor cortex and your muscles. So it improves coordination, balance, and for runners in particular, it’s helpful in increasing the ease and sometimes the length of a stride. It allows runners to become aware of unconscious patterns of movement or holding patterns that restrict fluid movement.

That’s what CFR is about.

Here’s an example of how CFR works: I worked with a woman who was training for the Bolder Boulder last spring. Once a week we worked out on the track and once a week we did a CFR floor lesson.

When I watched her run she had a very common arm carriage where her wrists and arms were facing down more than anything and her upper body moved undifferentiated. With wrists and arms down the shoulder blades can hardly move at all. I asked her to try turning her hands and arms just a bit so they faced up more. This opens the clavicle and pectoral area and slides the shoulder blades subtly together and down. As soon as I saw her do this properly it was like, “Now there’s a functional moving human,” because now she had nice bilateral movement. Earlier she was just “one chunk” moving undifferentiated and there were a whole lot of joints and muscular tissues that weren’t moving at their capacity. CFR increases one’s capacity rather than helping a person know where their limits are.

It gives a runner an awareness of how their whole body is connected in space so when you get up and go run the whole experience is a lot more joyful because you’re aware of more parts of your body.

I don’t believe my body would be as healthy as it is now if I had just continued on without the CFR. I learned how to get on the floor and do movements to lengthen my skeleton and increase my resting muscle length through communication between my brain and body. It is also a useful practice to calm the mind and the body – to promote a balance for the nervous system. I didn’t know how to let myself go to have a practice of some kind that was calming and created stillness in mind and body.

I’ve found that this is really helpful now that I’m in my 30s. I feel saved that I found this work.

You have said that “there are still attitudes and beliefs related to the treatment and coaching of young women that limit and are even detrimental to their health.” Could you explain that statement?

What I’ve learned about the progression of the female distance runner is that a young girl runner going into ninth grade is most likely goNovember/December 2009

coloradorunnermag.com 15

>> RUNNING LEGENDS << ing to be very slight. If she’s been athletic, she’s probably going to be very lean. She comes into her high school program with the ability to run very fast off of relatively little training. At some point her body is going to have to develop into a women’s body. To allow that to happen, the hormones are running through her, her menses is initiated, and she puts on extra body fat, which are all very natural processes.

I am very concerned about girls that have dreams to be athletes their entire lives when these physiological changes occur. What happened is they’ve won races and they, their parents, aunts, uncles and everyone in their circle have become excited. They think, “Oh, full ride scholarships, Olympic dreams”…you name it. Then the girls go through this necessary period of bodily change where their performance declines. The girls feel that people aren’t that excited anymore. The worst case scenario is that their parents get upset because they think there is a problem and they want to fix it. Coaches turn to the next young runner coming up. I think that this is all detrimental to the girl’s mental health.

I made that statement because I’m very passionate about the dreams of young girls and them being whatever they want to be as athletes and runners. When that physiological process happens I believe we lose a lot of girls. Because of the family dynamic where the parents get disappointed gets so onerous the girls quit altogether and…gosh, who knows what can happen? They can start smoking, drinking, doing drugs. It can just go from one extreme to the other. Or they just slowly suffer through their high school career frustrated that they can’t get back to where they were when they were in ninth grade. Psychologically, that’s just so difficult and I don’t think it has to be like that.

In terms of detriments to their physical health, I see that through it all there’s a lot of pressure from their high school or college coaches, the media, and from society to make sure that the young woman stays thin. If she’s successful in not feeding her body enough or she stays thin enough so her menstrual cycles don’t happen then there is a whole string of negative things happening to this young person. When her body is trying to become healthy, strong and capable of childbirth she is starving herself. On a nuts and bolts level, osteoporosis is on the way because the hormones estrogen and progesterone aren’t flowing and its leaching calcium from the bones.

I’d love to see it mandatory for every female college freshman to take a year off and let herself adjust in all the ways that there needs to be. There needs to be a transition – to college life, to how you’re going to eat when mom and dad aren’t feeding you, and just let the body take break after it’s been pushing itself for four years to get that full ride scholarship.

I get the chills thinking about the number of women I’ve met along my adult path since I was 22 who have horror stories about what they went through in high school and college. It stayed with them. Some of them are adults moving into middle age and they’re still struggling with it. It’s just very sad.

That’s why I have a camp for girls. It’s a place where we have positive female role models and teach them these things, like about how to trust their bodies and their intuitions. I have to make a disclaimer statement to them when I begin discussing these things, something like, “We’re teaching you this, but you need to be warned that the system doesn’t allow for you to take the breaks that you need.” I hope we have a bigger, more global perspective on the life of a distance runner instead of pushing the kids through a system. I was on that path myself and know it so well.

It’s tough because coaches get excited when they have this young little thing that can run like the wind. For a number of reasons I wasn’t happy my freshman year of college. I was also 95 pounds and I 16 coloradorunnermag.com

November/December 2009

needed to grow. But I realized after my first year that I had to take a year off and get happy. I’m sure that was terrifying to my coach because he was probably thinking, “There goes another one. She’ll probably gain 25 pounds and I’ll never see her again. She won’t work out”. Then there’s resentment because the coach has just given a full ride scholarship to a woman who is growing just like she’s supposed to.

I needed to simply let this process happen, stay strong mentally, and know it was going to be a progression to get back, which it was. I also realized that I needed to stay strong through weight training during that year. I was determined to come back and see my college career through with success because I knew it meant a lot, not just to me, but to women’s running. I wanted it for myself the most, but it’s so inspiring for someone to follow through on what they have started.

What you’ve asked me about is a pretty serious issue and, thankfully, I’ve created a space in my life where I can welcome these girls in and try to give them some tools to work with these challenges.

What was it like being inducted into the Colorado Running Hall of Fame in 2008?

It was such an honor. Knowing how many great runners there are in Colorado I was shocked when they telephoned me about being selected. It was also amazing timing because I had just moved from Oregon back to Colorado where my roots were. It was like this huge welcome home. It was wonderful to be up there with Steve Jones, Mark Plaatjes, Ellen Hart Pena, and the others.

I’m now 36 years old. For eighteen years I lived in Colorado off and on and now I’m back here to stay. But every time I came back somebody I didn’t know from Adam would say, “Hey, you’re that runner!”

Then I would ask myself, “How is it possible that people remember me from eighteen years ago?” I laugh about it now. Even being interviewed now by Colorado Runner, it’s like this gift that keeps on giving and keeps on growing. I felt that induction into the Colorado Running Hall of Fame was the official stamp that I could be in the role of giving back to the sport.

It was like this mantle I was given to see if I could make my life and the lives of others grow through the sport. So being inducted was huge for me.

Bruce Kirschner has been active in the Colorado running community for many years. He has been involved in local race management since the early 1980s. Bruce currently serves as race director of the Coal Creek Cross Country Challenge, which is held each October in Louisville. He also serves on the board of the Colorado Masters Running Association.

California phenom Jordan Hasay poses with Fairchild after the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships.

May 1, 2010

Opposite: Victor Sailer / PhotoRun.net

Registration opens January 1, 2010 with special pricing for the first two weeks!

Limited to 550 Race has filled the last 2 years!

www.greenland50k.com

>> NUTRITION ADVANTAGE <<

by nancy clark, ms, rd

Calcium Concerns

“I’m 44. Should I start taking calcium pills?”

“Will drinking milk heal my stress fracture?”

“A bone density test indicated I have the bones of a 70 year old—and I’m only 34.

What do I do?”

Questions and confusion abound about the role of calcium in athletes’ diets. If you are like most active people, you may think, “Milk is for kids” and quench your thirst at lunch and dinner with soda or water. As a result, you can easily end up consuming a calcium-deficient diet (that is, unless you consume yogurt and cheese instead of milk).

Weight-conscious women, in particular, are known to have calcium-deficient diets out of the unjustified fear that milk’s calories will add to undesired weight gain. Many men also have calcium-poor diets. If they are not milk drinkers, mens’ main sources of calcium are from the cheese on cheeseburgers and pizza. Not very health enhancing...

Given the average American lives for 77.7 years, maintaining bone health throughout the lifespan should be a priority for all athletes, starting as youngsters and continuing as master’s athletes.

A calcium-rich diet, weight-bearing exercise (such as running, as opposed to biking and swimming) and strengthtraining to have strong muscles tugging on bones are all important factors for optimizing the bone density of both growing children and active adults.

Bones are alive and require a life-long calcium intake. If your family has a history of osteoporosis, your risk for “shrinking” (losing height) as you get older is high and you should pay special attention to maintaining your bone density. Female athletes with a history of amenorrhea also have a high risk for weak bones and should get their bone density tested so they know where they stand and if they need to take extra steps to try to enhance bone density. Here’s some information about calcium and bone health to help you enjoy lifelong health, no bones about it.

Q. Can I take a calcium supplement instead of drinking milk?

A. While any calcium is better than none, taking a calcium pill does not compensate for a calcium-poor diet. A supplement offers calcium, but it does not offer the high-quality protein found in milk or soymilk, nor the myriad of other health-enhancing nutrients. Little babies thrive on milk, not calcium pills. Do you really think a pill can replace a whole food?

Q. I like to save calories by taking a calcium pill instead of drinking milk. Is that OK?

A. Not really. Although a calcium pill offers a low calorie alternative to consuming the recommended three (8-ounce) glasses of milk or yogurt each day, research indicates milk drinkers tend to be leaner than milk avoiders. I encourage my clients to embrace milk as a “liquid food” that is satiating and curbs one’s appetite. That is, milk can be more filling than the same number of calories from soda or juice.

Most of my active female clients reduce weight on 1,800 calories; men on 2,100+ calories. That breaks down to 500 to 600 calories per meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and 300 calories for a snack. Enjoying low-fat (soy) milk on cereal, a mid-morning latte and a yogurt for a snack seems a powerful way to spend 300 of those calories and approach the recommended intake of 1,000 milligrams of calcium for adults 19-50 years; 1,200 mg for 18 coloradorunnermag.com

November/December 2009

adults older than 50 years, and 1,300 mg for kids 9-18 years. If you are a parent, be a role model and drink milk at dinner to encourage a calciumrich intake for your kids. Building strong bones during the ages of 10 to 18 is a wise investment for the future.

and heart disease; enhance immune function and reduce inflammation. Vitamin D is added to milk and some brands of yogurt, but is hard to find naturally in foods other than oily fish.

Hence, non-milk drinkers have a high risk for not only calcium but also vitamin D deficiency.

Q. I’m lactose intolerant. Can I get enough calcium from non-dairy foods like soymilk, spinach, broccoli and almonds?

Q. I spend lots of time outdoors in the sun. Should I take additional vitamin D even though I drink milk?

A. For certain, you can get calcium from non-dairy sources. Soy milk is calciumfortified and offers ~300 mg of calcium in 8 ounces - similar to cows’ milk. Other convenient non-dairy calcium sources include fortified orange juice (350 mg/8 oz.) and fortified breakfast cereal, such as Total Cereal (1,000 mg/3/4 cup).

If you are do not consume dairy products or fortified soy products, you will have to work hard to consume adequate calcium. For example, to get the recommended intake from plant sources, you’d need to eat 10 cups of spinach salad, 3.5 cups of broccoli, and 4 ounces almonds (about 88 almonds at 675 calories). That’s a lot of eating…

What you do not get from those plant sources of calcium is Vitamin D. Vitamin D enhances the absorption of calcium and is needed to not only protect bone health but also to reduce the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes,

A. Yes, especially between Thanksgiving and Easter. Vitamin D deficiency is surprisingly common in people who live in northern latitudes (north of Atlanta, GA), where the sun’s ultraviolet rays do not effectively convert the body’s inactive form of vitamin D (just under the skin) into an active form. And even Southerners need to be mindful. A study of southern distance runners indicated 40% of them were D-deficient. Indoor athletes, such as triathletes who train at the gym, should ask their doctors about getting their blood tested to determine their level of vitamin D, and if it is low, take steps to correct the problem.

Q. Does the fat in milk contribute to heart disease?

A. This is controversial. A study that tracked the health and dairy intake of 4,374

children for 56 years (between 1948 and 2006) reports there was no increased risk of heart disease or stroke among the 34% who died during that time - even though, as kids, the subjects in the study drank whole milk. In fact, the children who consumed the most milk and cheese lived longer.

This study conflicts with the prevalent message to reduce the risk of heart disease by limiting the intake of milk’s saturated fat. Until more research clarifies this confusion, I recommend you enjoy low fat dairy/calcium-rich foods to help reduce excessive fat and calorie intake while maintaining a strong calcium intake.

Q. Will drinking extra milk help a broken bone heal faster?

A. Doubtful. Bones need time to heal ... about 6 to 8 weeks. But perhaps you can reduce the risk of breaking a bone by building it stronger in the first place?

Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD (Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics) is the author of the Sports Nutrition Guidebook, and food guides for new runners, marathoners, or cyclists, which are available via www.nancyclarkrd.com.

BKB L

I

M

I

T

E

D

Road Races ~ Multi-Sport Event Management and Timing Services

2009 Events Calendar and Information:

www.bkbltd.com Upcoming Events:

November 7 Littleton Stride 5K, Littleton November 8 Children’s Hospital Race For Fetal Hope 5K, Denver November 14 Home For The Holidays 5K, Denver November 21 Gobble Wobble, Denver November 26 Mile High United Way Turkey Trot, Denver December 6 Assurant Health Rudolph Ramble 5K, Denver December 13 Jingle Bell Run 5K, Denver

Kipture Primary School Foundation and Steve Muniz Memorial Library:

WWW.BKBLTD.COM/KENYA.HTM

DR. SCOTT VANDER WALL - Elite provider of Active Release Techniques - Myofascial Unwinding - Custom Foot Orthotics November/December 2009

coloradorunnermag.com 19

>> RACE REPORTS <<

Runners Conquer First XTERRA Marathon

T

The inaugural XTERRA Marathon of Trail Races welcomed a sold-out field of 300 runners to the beautiful and wild Cheyenne Mountain State Park in Colorado Springs on October 4.

The event marked the very first time XTERRA has offered a marathon distance race in its popular Trail Run Series, and athletes welcomed the challenge with inspiring enthusiasm. Eric Maki and Michele Jensen set the bar high winning the men’s and women’s races respectively. Maki’s time of 4:05:02 was good enough to edge out runner-up Justin Walker by almost 7 minutes while Jensen dominated the women in 4:32:07, more than 30 minutes ahead of second place Nancy Citriglia.

Boulder’s Will Kelsey, 27, a longtime XTERRA Ambassador and triathlete turned in the top time of 1:42:42 for the half-marathon distance just a week after placing in the top ten of the XTERRA USA Championship off-road triathlon. Winning for the women was Nicole Mahobian in 1:58:69.

Along with the two endurance events, the day also held a 5-kilometer fun run for those looking for a smaller taste of XTERRA. Nacho Mata and Lauren Dvoracek claimed the top spots in 23:59 and 25:17 respectively.

According to Race Director Victoria Seahorn, “This was definitely a complete XTERRA course with its tough terrain and picturesque setting. We had perfect running weather, awesome sponsors, amazing volunteers, and incredible athletes. The day was truly a day that none of us will ever forget.”

XTERRA Marathon of Trail Races Colorado Springs, CO October 3, 2009 256 Finishers (38 - 26.2M, 156 - 13.1M, 62 - 5K) - Timing By: Pikes Peak Road Runners - Elevation: Start/Finish = 6,050’ - Course Records: New Race 26.2M Male (Overall): 1. Eric Maki, 4:05:02 CR; 2. Justin Walker, 4:11:53; 3. Daniel Kurschner, 4:14:59; 4. Brooks Williams, 4:16:05; 5. Steve Bremner, 4:18:58. Female (Overall): 1. Michele Jensen, 4:32:07; 2. Nancy Citriglia, 5:03:47; 3. Karen Brennan, 5:05:32; 4.

Sheri Atkinson, 5:05:53; 5. Melissa Wolfe, 5:07:46.

13.1M Male (Overall): 1. Will Kelsay, 1:42:42; 2. Mathew Hood, 1:48:35; 3. Fred Hankinson, 1:51:21; 4. James Kahkoska, 1:51:44; 5.

Tony Peters, 1:54:48. Masters (40+): 1. Tony Peters, 1:54:48; 2. Timothy Berry, 1:55:12; 3. Duane Rorie, 1:57:07. Grand Masters (50+): 1. James Kahkoska, 1:51:44; 2. Rick Harbin, 2:04:56; 3. Scott Palmer, 2:07:29. Seniors (60+): 1. Jim Kerr, 2:27:26; 2. Ed Youngberg, 2:33:38; 3. Charles Westley, 2:39:00. Female (Overall): 1. Nicole Mahobian, 1:58:13; 2. Laura Hronik, 2:06:47; 3. Kelly Howard, 2:09:05; 4.

Kelly Simshauser, 2:10:00; 5. Kathleen Swart, 2:12:22. Masters (40+): 1. Kelly Howard, 2:09:05; 2. Kelly Simshauser, 2:10:00; 3. Kathleen Swart, 2:12:22. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Lisa Scroggs, 2:48:45; 2. Kelly Murphy, 2:52:04; 3. Christina Ortega, 2:53:31. Seniors (60+): 1. Martha Rzasa, 4:50:54.

5K Male (Overall): 1. Nacho Mata, 23:59; 2. Jon Howerton, 24:38; 3. Kenny Holcomb, 26:21; 4. Mike Peterson, 27:19; 5. George Grecco, 29:23. Female (Overall): 1. Lauren Dvoracek, 25:17; 2. Katherine Franzmann, 26:19; 3. Kerry Page, 26:25; 4. Sarah VonThun, 28:45; 5. Jennifer Schneider, 30:19.

20 coloradorunnermag.com

November/December 2009

New Marathon Course Records Set

Justin Ricks of Pueblo West and Hayley Benson of Westminster set new course records in the male and female overall divisions at the ninth running of the American Discovery Trail Marathon (ADTM) in Colorado Springs.

Ricks, who was a top finisher at the Pike’s Peak Marathon a few weeks earlier, ran a smooth and seemingly effortless time of 2:32:30, besting the old course record by more than 20 minutes. Benson, also a top finisher on Pike’s Peak, finished the ADTM in 3:00:35. The race was run under sunny, blue skies with starting temperatures in the 50s and finishing temperatures in the 80s.

At the half marathon competition, Kent Wories and Kelli Lusk were first male and female overall.

This year, the ADTM race committee re-introduced a marathon relay in lieu of the 5K that was held in recent years. Twenty-eight teams (112 runners) ran the relay in male, female, and co-ed divisions.

Race Director Sara Wulfkuhle was pleased with the race turnout and the impressive course records that were set, saying, “The combined numbers from this year’s races were the highest ever with more than 1,000 participants.

We decided to add the relay this year because there are several 5Ks in Colorado Springs, but the ever popular marathon relay was missing locally. We hope the race and especially the relay will continue to grow each year. “

Post-race feedback from athletes was also enthusiastic. Marathoner Melissa Marr said, “I finished the ADT meeting all three goals I had set for myself: a PR, a marathon under four hours and a Boston Qualifier.” Runner Eva Syrovy said, “Great race, great organization and the best looking race shirt ever!”

The American Discovery Trail Marathon is run mostly on trail along the scenic

pathways between Palmer Lake and downtown Colorado Springs. The race is organized entirely by volunteers, and all proceeds from the races benefit non-profit organizations such as Trails and Open Space, Pennies For Nicoll Foundation, and Pikes Peak Road Runners.

ADT Marathon/Half Marathon Colorado Springs, CO September 7, 2009 839 Finishers (368 - 26.2M, 471 - 13.1M) - Timing By: Pikes Peak Road Runners - Elevation: Marathon Start = 7,250’, Half Marathon Start = 5,980’, Finish = 5,980’ - Course Records: Marathon = Daniel Goding, 2:52:33 (2008); Heather McWhirter, 3:08:03 (2008); Half Marathon = Ben Payne, 1:11:11 (2004); Ashlee Nelson, 1:28:11 (2008) 26.2M Male (Overall): 1. Justin Ricks, 29, Pueblo West, CO, 2:32:30 CR; 2. Gerald Romero, 38, Colorado Springs, CO, 2:45:04; 3. Daniel Goding, 33, Loveland, CO, 2:45:53; 4. Adolfo Carrillo, 37, Colorado Springs, CO, 2:48:30; 5. Hendrik Moorlag, 46, Westminster, CO, 2:54:34. Masters (40+): 1. Hendrik Moorlag, 46, Westminster, CO, 2:54:34; 2. Stephen Betts, 45, Los Alamos, NM, 3:12:14; 3. Tony Peters, 41, Winter Park, CO, 3:13:35.

Grand Masters (50+): 1. David Taylor, 52, Colorado Springs, CO, 3:10:58; 2. Kevin McClish, 51, Amarillo, TX, 3:14:42; 3. Al De La Roche, 55, Colorado Springs, CO, 3:15:02. Seniors (60+): 1. Parks Williams, 67, Colorado Springs, CO, 3:49:10; 2. John Courtney, 61, Colorado Springs, CO, 3:55:54; 3. Carl Nelson, 60, Colorado Springs, CO, 4:16:08. Female (Overall): 1. Hayley Benson, 27, Westminster, CO, 3:00:35 CR; 2. Anita Fromm, 38, Colorado Springs, CO, 3:26:00; 3. Kelly Moon, 35, Colorado Springs, CO, 3:28:03; 4. Rochelle Stratton, 41, Colorado Springs, CO, 3:28:27; 5. Kara LaPoint, 22, Truckee, CA, 3:29:18. Masters (40+): 1. Rochelle Stratton, 41, Colorado Springs, CO, 3:28:27; 2. Tonia Smith, 40, Colorado Springs, CO, 3:35:21; 3. Ruthanne Hamrick, 44, Cedar Crest, NM, 3:48:30. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Nan Karsh, 55, Colorado Springs, CO, 4:16:16; 2. Julie Hankins, 52, Waco, TX, 4:51:23; 3. Judy Thieme, 53, Longmont, CO, 5:01:37. Seniors (60+): 1. Diane Ridgway, 60, Arvada, CO, 3:41:22 SR; 2. Piper Peterson, 62, Spokane, WA, 4:22:44; 3.

Joyce McKelvey, 64, Black Forest, CO, 4:37:02.

13.1M Male (Overall): 1. Kent Wories, 23, Westfield, NJ, 1:16:46; 2. Andrew Abdella, 23, Elbert, CO, 1:21:10; 3. Marc Johnson, 32, Monument, CO, 1:23:22; 4. Sascha Kaschewsky, 39, Berlin, GE, 1:25:34; 5. Bryce Gregoire, 15, Peyton, CO, 1:28:04. Masters (40+): 1. Paul Lecky, 46, Woodland Park, CO, 1:33:32; 2. Paul Hartman, 49, Colorado Springs, CO, 1:36:55; 3. Sean Ryan, 41, Colorado Spirngs, CO, 1:38:30. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Rich Hadley, 53, Florance, CO, 1:33:08; 2. Bruce Fain, 51,

Rochelle Stratton of Colorado Springs was the fourth female and first masters runner in the marathon.

Billings, MT, 1:40:47; 3. Richard Park, 56, Colorado Springs, CO, 1:41:04. Seniors (60+): 1. Jim Kerr, 61, Colorado Springs, CO, 1:46:22; 2. Lou Huie, 63, Colorado Springs, CO, 1:46:39; 3.

Robert McAndrews, 69, Colorado Springs, CO, 1:53:01. Female (Overall): 1. Kelli Lusk, 39, Manitou Springs, CO, 1:33:48; 2.

Sarah Wories, 23, Westfield, NJ, 1:38:36; 3. Kelly Miller, 42, Colorado Springs, CO, 1:38:41; 4. Sue Barnes, 43, Colorado Springs, CO, 1:40:38; 5. Sue Barone, 45, Colorado Springs, CO, 1:44:52. Masters (40+): 1. Kelly Miller, 42, Colorado Springs, CO, 1:38:41; 2. Sue Barnes, 43, Colorado Springs, CO, 1:40:38; 3.

Sue Barone, 45, Colorado Springs, CO, 1:44:52. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Georgann Richardson, 54, Colorado Springs, CO, 1:46:14; 2. Jenny Glass, 50, Colorado Springs, CO, 1:48:48; 3. Vicki McCann, 52, Colorado Springs, CO, 1:59:09. Seniors (60+): 1. Jan Huie, 60, Colorado Springs, CO, 1:58:44; 2. Ana Chimbanda, 62, Thornton, CO, 2:20:12; 3. Nancy Garrett, 63, Colorado Springs, CO, 2:27:37.

Park to Park Attracts 1,000 on Labor Day

T

The Aetna Park to Park 10 Mile Run was held on Labor Day and attracted more than 1,000 finishers. Runners raced through the city streets and area parks in Denver. Many runners use the race as a tune-up in their training for major fall marathons and half marathons.

Connilee Walter

The men’s race was competitive with 2008 winner Josh Eberly of Gunnison defending his title by out kicking Joel Hamilton of Golden. Both runners finished in 51:11. Nan Kennard of Broomfield was the top female finisher in 1:00:33, tying the event record set by Katie Blackett in 2007. Evergreen resident, Bob Weiner, 44, crushed the men’s master record with a time of 55:01. The previous recored was 59:05 set by Todd Stratka in 2008. The women’s masters winner was 44-year-old Boulderite Dianne Gates, who finished in 1:04:32.

Female winner Nan Kennard said, “I was very impressed with how organized every-

thing was. You had great support crews at each water station and mile marker, a very orderly bag drop off and pick up, great police support at the intersections, a detailed map that my husband printed from your website so he could cheer for me on the course, and a very clear and loud announcer.”

Race director Alan Lind said, “The race went very smoothly and we are very proud of the event. We have worked very hard to provide a high quality event to Denver and based on the feedback from participants, sponsors and support staff, we think we’ve delivered it again.”

Park to Park 10M Denver, CO September 7, 2009 1,080 Finishers - Timing by: Boulder Road Runners - Elevation: Start/Finish = 5,350’ - Course Records: Josh Eberly, 51:00 (2008); Katie Blackett, 1:00:33 (2007)

Male (Overall): 1. Josh Eberly, 28, Gunnison, CO, 51:11; 2. Joel Hamilton, 24, Golden, CO, 51:11; 3. Tommy Neal, 26, Colorado Springs, CO, 51:54; 4. Joshua Glaab, 26, Superior, CO, 53:05; 5. Josh Wright, 27, Lakewood, CO, 54:22; 6. Bob Weiner, 44, Evergreen, CO, 55:01; 7. Jonathon Luna, 25, Denver, CO, 55:59; 8. Ryan Donovan, Fort Collins, CO, 56:21; 9. Dan Pinter, 23, Colorado Springs, CO, 56:39; 10. Eric Bunch, 27, Denver, CO, 57:48. Masters (40+): 1. Bob Weiner, 44, Evergreen, CO, 55:01; 2. Steve Fossel, 41, Evergreen, CO, 1:01:50; 3. Matt Strand, 42, Denver, CO, 1:02:00. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Heath Hibbard, 56, Montrose, CO, 1:05:43; 2. Jay Survil, 50, Aurora, CO, 1:06:19; 3. David Pierce, 54, Englewood, CO, 1:06:28. Seniors (60+): 1.

Dave Dooley, 62, Erie, CO, 1:06:39; 2. Steve Joyce, 60, Loveland, CO, 1:12:15; 3. Kent Oglesby, 61, Fort Collins, CO, 1:13:16.

Female (Overall): 1. Nan Kennard, 28, Broomfield, CO, 1:00:33 CR; 2. Maren Shepherd, 27, 1:01:18; 3. Adrian Chouinard, 26, Manitou Springs, CO, 1:01:42; 4. Bean Wrenn, 36, Boulder, CO, 1:01:52; 5. Uli Bromme, 28, 1:02:58; 6. Kelsey Jones, 28, Denver, CO, 1:04:20; 7. Dianne Gates, 44, Boulder, CO, 1:04:32; 8. Ashley Anderson, 24, Denver, CO, 1:05:23; 9. Jeanne Cooper, 31, Eagle, CO, 1:05:26; 10. Lisa Goldsmith, 44, Nederland, CO, 1:05:34. Masters (40+): 1. Dianne Gates, 44, Boulder, CO, 1:04:32; 2. Lisa Goldsmith, 44, Nederland, CO, 1:05:34; 3.

Susan Brooker, 46, Boulder, CO, 1:10:49. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Patricia Wassik, 51, Denver, CO, 1:14:37; 2. Alyn Park, 58, Denver, CO, 1:16:22; 3. Carolyn Weiss, 50, Golden, CO, 1:19:35.

Seniors (60+): 1. Cathy Morgan, 62, Fort Collins, CO, 1:25:34; 2.

Colette Heun, 61, Boulder, CO, 1:31:28; 3. Constance Ahrnsbrak, 69, Lakewood, CO, 1:33:30.

November/December 2009

coloradorunnermag.com 21

>> RACE REPORTS <<

Fans Race Raises $65,000

Golden Leaf Half Marathon

Golden Leaf Half Marathon Aspen, CO September 26, 2009 671 Finishers - Timing by: Ute Mountaineer - Elevation: Start = 8,650, Finish = 7,900’ - Course Records: Scott Elliot, 1:25:40 (2000); Anthea Schmidd, 1:43:36 (2001) Male (Overall): 1. Pete Farwell, Adelaide, CO, 1:24:22 CR; 2. Ricky Gates, Boulder, CO, 1:26:03; 3. James Johnson, Boulder, CO, 1:26:33; 4. Bernie Boettcher, Silt, CO, 1:28:39; 5. Matt Turnbull, Leadville, CO, 1:29:24.

Masters (40+): 1. James Johnson, Boulder, CO, 1:26:33; 2. Bernie Boettcher, Silt, CO, 1:28:39; 3. Robert Chesher, Boulder, CO, 1:41:21. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Stephen Parziale, Aspen, CO, 1:41:51; 2. Ronald Lund, Basalt, CO, 1:48:09; 3. Marc Kiernan, Aspen, CO, 2:08:13. Seniors (60+): 1. Thomas, Nelson, Steamboat Springs, CO, 2:10:28; 2. Warren Ohlrich, Moab, UT, 2:22:57; 3. Joe Warner, Austin, TX, 2:32:25. Female (Overall): 1. Stevie Kremer, Crested Butte, CO, 1:42:17 CR; 2. Julia Bensen, Aspen, CO, 1:43:45; 3. Cynthia Arnold, Carbondale, CO, 1:45:01; 4. Myriah Blair, Glenwood Springs, CO, 1:45:53; 5. Lindsay Krause, Littleton, CO, 1:46:45. Masters (40+): 1. Mary Cote, Basalt, CO, 1:53:16; 2. Karen Voss, Denver, CO, 1:58:47; 3. Rebecca Rivkin, Denver, CO, 2:01:01.

Grand Masters (50+): 1. Patty Bryant, Santa Barbara, CA, 2:05:42; 2. Charlynn Porter, Aspen, CO, 2:10:37; 3. Ann Campbell, Boulder, CO, 2:14:12. Seniors (60+): 1. Barbara Mason, Carbondale, CO, 2:37:37; 2. Karen Ohlick, Moab, UT, 3:22:10.

22 coloradorunnermag.com

Held September 13, the 4th Annual Fans on the Field was a tremendous success.

More than 2,000 runners and walkers attended the 5K and 10K event at INVESCO Field at Mile High and helped raise $65,000 to support programs of the National Sports Center for the Disabled.

The event takes participants through three of Denver’s professional sports arenas – INVESCO Field at Mile High, Pepsi Center and Coors Field. The Broncos Cheerleaders, who led pre-race warm up, were a big hit among participants. And team mascots, including Broncos’ mascot Bucky, Denver Nuggets’ Supermascot Rocky, Colorado Mammoth’s mascot Woolly, and one of the Colorado Rapids’ mascots, were at each venue cheering on runners and signing autographs.

“We are thrilled that so many people came out to support the National Sports Center for the Disabled, especially in this economic climate,” said Brad Jesse, National Sports Center for the Disabled event coordinator. “We are lucky to have great community partners support our mission.”

The first place male participant was Scott Winnier at 37:01. The first place female participant was Kari-Anne Samuelson in a course record time of 40:36.

“I really enjoyed running through all three stadiums,” said Winnier. “It was one of the reasons to race on Sunday. I also liked how the event showcases the National Sports Center for the Disabled. It’s a great organization, and I was happy to come out and support their event.

“Pepsi Center had the most enjoyable atmosphere. It was odd running through the empty stadium that morning and remembering how packed it was during a recent Green Day

November/December 2009

concert I attended – a little surreal.

“Also amusing is that I almost skipped the event to take advantage of cheap e-fares to Albuquerque/Santa Fe! I’m glad I stayed in Denver and ran the race.”

Although he wasn’t one of the winners, Greg Hansbrough participated in the race on behalf of the National Sports Center for the Disabled. Hansbrough is a U.S. Paralympic soccer player, long-distance runner and brother of Indiana Pacers player Tyler Hansbrough.

“I loved the race,” said Hansbrough.

“You barely notice the distance. There are so many things to see that the miles just melt away.

The stadiums really are beautiful and quite massive in size – you feel like a big shot running through them. It was a great race for a great organization. I hope to run it next year. ” Fans on the Field 10K Denver, CO September 13, 2009 901 Finishers - Timing By: Hallucinataion Sports - Elevation: Start/Finish = 5,290’ - Course Records: Nelson Laux, 33:28 (2007); Jamie Schiel, 41:08 (2007) Male (Overall): 1. Scott Winnier, 42, 37:01; 2. Matthew Hajny, 32, 37:13; 3. Anthony Bruns, 30, 38:34; 4. Max Holley, 22, 39:06; 5.

Karl Mimmack, 45, 39:43; 6. Andy Kittelson, 29, 40:01; 7. Adam Begin, 29, 40:35; 8. Erik Nelson, 28, 40:42; 9. Keith Somers, 35, 40:44; 10. Eric Patterson, 44, 41:04. Masters (40+): 1. Scott Winnier, 42, 37:01; 2. Karl Mimmack, 45, 39:43; 3. Eric Patterson, 44, 41:04. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Harry Ladewig, 58, 43:28; 2. John Kittelson, 54, 44:10; 3. David Strand, 50, 45:03. Seniors (60+): 1. Cal Smith, 60, 50:45; 2. Michael Moore, 63, 50:48; 3. Larry Painter, 64, 55:32. Female (Overall): 1. Kari-Anne Samuelson, 27, 40:36 CR; 2. Angie Anderson, 29, 42:08; 3. Austin Braaten, 23, 42:17; 4. Jana Huntsman, 35, 43:16; 5. Kristen Gilbert, 34, 45:07; 6. Kris Minne, 44, 45:16; 7. Alyssa Samuel, 26, 45:23; 8.

Sherry Zerr, 30, 45:54; 9. Barb York, 42, 46:10; 10. Tessa Fuqua, 43, 46:37. Masters (40+): 1. Kris Minne, 44, 45:16; 2. Barb York, 42, 46:10; 3. Tessa Fuqua, 43, 46:37. Grand Masters (50+): 1.

Julie Monroe, 54, 49:33; 2. Jane Molander, 51, 54:47; 3. Aletha Farrell, 52, 56:44. Seniors (60+): 1. Cindy Maynard, 60, 1:02:27; Caroline Luttrull, 69, 1:09:17; 3. Liz Brown, 66, 1:27:27.

Left: Bernie Boettcher, Right: Courtesy of Fans on the Field Opposite: Bernie Boettcher

On Saturday, September 26 runners from all over Colorado, 26 other states across the US and even Canada went to Aspen to participate in the Vasque Golden Leaf Half Marathon. Chosen by Trail Runner Magazine as one of “America’s 14 Most Scenic Races” and voted by Colorado Runner Magazine as 2008’s “Best Half Marathon,” the Golden Leaf is one of the most beautiful foot races in the Rockies.

In the height of the beautiful fall colors, reds, greens, and the famous gold’s of the Aspen trees guide runners on this challenging course from Snowmass to Aspen.

The race began at 8:30 a.m. Both the male and female winners set new course records - Pete Farwell from Adelaide, CO (1:24:22) and Stevie Kremer from Crested Butte (1:42:17).

This year’s race capped at 850 participants and filled up almost one and a half months before the race. Many race participants commented that the weather was perfect and the fall colors were gorgeous.

>> RACE RESULTS << Pikes Peak Marathon/Ascent Manitou Springs, CO August 15-16, 2009 2,358 Finishers (711 - 26.2M, 1,647 - Ascent) - Timing by: Pikes Peak Road Runners - Elevation: Start = 6,300’, Ascent Finish = 14,050’, Marathon Finish = 6,345’ - Course Records: Ascent = Matt Carpenter, 2:01:06 (1993); Lynn Bjorklund, 2:33:31 (1981); Marathon = Matt Carpenter, 3:16:39 (1993); Lynn Bjorklund, 4:15:18 (1981) 26.2M Male (Overall): 1. Matt Carpenter, 45, Manitou Springs, CO, 3:37:02; 2. Daryn Parker, 28, Manitou Springs, CO, 3:47:15; 3. Bernie Boettcher, 46, Silt, CO, 4:05:58; 4.

Justin Mock, 27, Arvada, CO, 4:09:15; 5. Justin Ricks, 29, Pueblo West, CO, 4:11:12; 6. Peter Fain, 37, Truckee, CA, 4:11:31; 7. Bryan Dayton, 36, Boulder, CO, 4:15:08; 8. John Heneghan, 27, Romford, UK, 4:15:16; 9. Samuel Malmberg, 26, Eaton, CO, 4:19:17; 10. Fritz Van de Kamp, 29, Salt Lake City, UT, 4:22:13. Masters (40+): 1. Matt Carpenter, 45, Manitou Springs, CO, 3:37:02; 2. Bernie Boettcher, 46, Silt, CO, 4:05:58; 3. Colin Dignum, 43, West Vancouver, CN, 4:25:53. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Senovio Torres, 55, Cordova, NM, 4:38:03; 2. Heath Hibbard, 56, Montrose, CO, 5:03:24; 3. Jeffrey Pierce, 51, Colorado Springs, CO, 5:04:11. Seniors (60+): 1. Frank Meza, 60, South Pasadena, CA, 5:51:28; 2. Rob Ladewig, 60, Colorado Springs, CO, 6:14:03; 3. Joseph Loretto, 63, Jemez Pueblo, NM, 6:20:05. Female (Overall): 1. Anita Ortiz, 45, Eagle, CO, 4:28:20; 2. Sharon Kuhn, 50, Durango, CO, 4:59:53; 3. Andrea Williams, 28, Eldorado Springs, CO, 5:14:20; 4.

Louisa Jenkins, 43, Longmont, CO, 5:19:29; 5. Laura Eakin, 27, Commerce City, CO, 5:20:57; 6. Sarah Evans, 36, Alta, UT, 5:25:12; 7. Stephanie Wurtz, 27, Colorado Springs, CO, 5:37:56; 8. Gina Harcrow, 37, Larkspur, CO, 5:40:11; 9. Cary Kinross-Wright, 37, Golden, CO, 5:43:08; 10. Karen Smidt, 42, Brighton, CO, 5:43:13. Masters (40+): 1. Anita Ortiz, 45, Eagle, CO, 4:28:20; 2. Louisa Jenkins, 43, Longmont, CO, 5:19:29; 3. Karen Smidt, 42, Brighton, CO, 5:43:13. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Sharon Kuhn, 50, Durango, CO, 4:59:53; 2. Karen Stuckey, 50, Gunnison, CO, 6:12:27; 3. Deanna McLaughlin, 53, Salt Lake City, UT, 6:19:49. Seniors (60+): 1. Stephanie Wiecks, 62, Palmer Lake, CO, 7:09:20; 2.

Joyce McKelvey, 64, Colorado Springs, CO, 7:38:18; 3.

Patricia Tolleson, 60, Westminster, CO, 8:00:16.

Ascent Male (Overall): 1. Tim Parr, 27, Gunnison, CO, 2:12:32; 2. Tommy Manning, 33, Colorado Springs, CO, 2:19:59; 3. Simon Gutierrez, 43, Alamosa, CO, 2:21:28; 4. Zac Freudenburg, 31, St. Louis, MO, 2:24:12; 5. Alex Nichols, 24, Colorado Springs, CO, 2:29:08; 6. Michael Selig, 31, Lakewood, CO, 2:29:40; 7. Matthew Russell, 26, Boulder, CO, 2:30:43; 8. Kevin Tilton, 27, North Conway, NH, 2:31:50; 9. Gerald Romero, 37, Colorado Springs, CO, 2:32:59; 10. Johannes Rudolph, 44, Boulder, CO, 2:35:00.

Masters (40+): 1. Simon Gutierrez, 43, Alamosa, CO, 2:21:28; 2. Johannes Rudolph, 44, Boulder, CO, 2:35:00; 3. Michael Hagen, 47, Colorado Springs, CO, 2:40:42.

Grand Masters (50+): 1. Ed Baxter, 55, Colorado Springs, CO, 2:41:35; 2. Dale Petersen, 52, Denver, CO, 3:02:54; 3.

Stephen Parziale, 50, Durango, CO, 3:04:07. Seniors (60+): 1. Bob Cooper, 61, Thornton, CO, 3:20:35; 2. JB Chavez, 64, Colorado Springs, CO, 3:37:53; 3. John Shelhamer, 61, Manitou Springs, CO, 3:43:51. Female (Overall): 1. Megan Kimmel, 29, Silverton, CO, 2:40:16; 2. Kim Dobson, 25, Aurora, CO, 2:41:49; 3. Cindy O’Neill, 47, Manitou Springs, CO, 2:51:50; 4. Ashlee Nelson, 28, Colorado Springs, CO, 2:53:41; 5. Rachael Cuellar, 27, Albuquerque, NM, 2:56:56; 6. Rebecca Prichard, 30, Clemson, SC, 2:58:22; 7. Hayley Benson, 27, Westminster, CO, 3:00:03; 8. Erica Larson-Baron, 38, Los Alamos, NM, 3:04:23; 9. Katherine Koski, 36, Duluth, MN, 3:04:33; 10. Angela Martell, 25, Colorado Springs, CO, 3:08:04. Masters (40+): 1. Cindy O’Neill, 47, Manitou Springs, CO, 2:51:50; 2. Eva Hagen, 41, Colorado Springs, CO, 3:18:27; 3. Chrissy Steigerwald, 40, Colorado Springs, CO, 3:19:41. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Lynn Bjorklund, 52, Ely, NV, 3:24:10; 2. Deborah Evans, 52, Colorado Springs, CO, 3:38:10; 3. Jeanne McCurnin, 53, Mason City, IA, 3:43:16. Seniors (60+): 1. Blondie Vucich, 60, Vail, CO, 3:40:34; 2. Dafna Lotan, 62, Kingwood, TX, 4:14:52; 3. Wendy Watson, 65, Manhattan Beach, CA, 4:20:03.

Leadville Trail 100 Leadville, CO August 22, 2009

Running the Lead King Loop in Marble.

275 Finishers - Timing by: Leadville Trail 100 - Elevation: Start/Finish = 10,200’ - Course Records: Matt Carpenter, 15:42:59 (2005); Ann Trason, 18:06:24 (1994) Male (Overall): 1. Timmy Parr, Gunnison, CO, 17:27:23; 2.

Nick Lewis, Memphis, TN, 17:44:26; 3. Duncan Callahan, Gunnison, CO, 18:26:40; 4. Andrew Henshaw, West Point,

Fort Collins Thanksgiving Day Run presented by

November 26, 2009 - 9:00 AM Join us for the Fort Collins Thanksgiving Day Run. Everyone’s invited! Your entire family can participate because we offer both running and walking divisions, as well as a free children’s fun run.

Experience the community spirit of Fort Collins.

$4,200 in prize money! Pies for age group prizes!

Pick up a registration at your local running store!

Kids 12 and under run 4M free!

Includes t-shirt, number and expanded age group awards

www.virtualroster.com

Don’t miss an issue!

Have you moved? Let us know your new address so that you don’t miss an issue of Colorado Runner.

Old address: New address: Mail this form to: Colorado Runner Subscriptions, 12085 Pommert Rd Greenfield, OH 45123 Or email: derek@coloradorunnermag.com November/December 2009

coloradorunnermag.com 23

>> RACE RESULTS << NY, 18:56:41; 5. Jeff Beuche, Boulder, CO, 18:58:40. Masters (40+): 1. Andy Jones-Wilkins, Ketchum, ID, 19:49:42; 2. Luis Guerrero, Mexico City, DF, 20:47:33; 3. Glenn Steckler, Telluride, CO, 21:29:42. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Jeffrey Welsh, Greenville, NC, 23:04:09; 2. John Price, Ashland, OR, 23:53:15; 3. Jeff Myers, Manitou Springs, CO, 24:10:22.

Seniors (60+): 1. Hans-Dieter Weisshaar, Landwehrhagen, Germany, 26:14:20; 2. Tom Masterson, Boulder, CO, 28:30:40; 3. Stuart Nelson, Leadville, CO, 28:39:09. Female (Overall): 1. Lynette Clemons, Leadville, CO, 20:58:01; 2.

Jamie Donaldson, Litleton, CO, 21:53:37; 3. Darcy Africa, Boulder, CO, 21:55:22; 4. Rebecca Wheeler, Casper, WY, 23:58:24; 5. Kelly Cronin, Yosemite, CA, 24:14:22. Masters (40+): 1. Sus Brozik, Albuquerque, NM, 24:18:47; 2. Kari Fraser, Boulder, CO, 26:18:23; 3. Marcy Beard, Austin, TX, 26:38:56. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Liz Bauer, Plainville, GA, 27:55:10; Jeanie Grooms, Grand Junction, CO, 29:08:17; Beth Simpson-Hall, Bayside, WI, 29:24:19. Seniors (60+): 1. No Finishers.

Skirt Chaser 5K Denver, CO August 29, 2009 927 Finishers - Timing By: Boulder Road Runners - Elevation: Start/Finish = 5,280’ - Course Records: New Race

Runner’s head out on their journey in the Indian Summer Half Marathon.

Rancho, NM, 27:35. Seniors (60+): 1. Betty Valent, 69, Boulder, CO, 28:24; 2. Janet Fairs, 66, Denver, CO, 42:57.

ElGrito 5K Denver, CO September 13, 2009 323 Finishers - Elevation: Start/Finish = 5,290’ - Course Records: Ryan Kirkpatrick, 15:07 (2008); Tera Moody, 17:21 (2005) Male (Overall): 1. Brice Young, 24, Boulder, CO, 16:32; 2. Nick Petraglia, 27, 17:10; 3. Erik Stevens, 29, 17:30; 4.

David Scudamore, 39, 17:33; 5. Steven Kohuth, 44, 18:31.

Masters (40+): 1. Steven Kohuth, 44, 18:31; 2. Vincent Nichols, 40, 19:48; 3. Rick Denning, 48, 20:32. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Tim Perley, 50, 19:34; 2. Rich Holston, 57, 20:54; 3. Rob Pyzal, 52, 20:55. Seniors (60+): 1. Steve Joyce, 60, 21:47; 2. Stephen Berger, 61, 21:57; 3. Estaban Rodriguez, 61, 23:48. Female (Overall): 1. Carrie Zografos, 29, Wheat Ridge, CO, 19:29; 2. Stella Heffron, 42, Parker, CO, 20:36; 3. Olivia Florez-Gallard, 22, 21:35; 4. Peggy Muhn, 57, Wheat Ridge, CO, 21:35; 5. Janelle Hazlett, 25, 21:39. Masters (40+): 1. Stella Heffron, 42, Parker, CO, 20:36; 2. Patti Bauman, 44, 21:55; 3. Vanessa Yingling, 42, 23:30. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Peggy Muhn, 57, Wheat

Ridge, CO, 21:35; 2. Alyn Park, 58, Denver, CO, 23:05; 3. Joanie Holden, 50, 24:24. Seniors (60+): 1. Stephanie Wiecks, 62, Palmer Lake, CO, 23:37; 2. Ellen Kocialski, 62, 25:53; 3. Connie Ahrnsbrak, 69, Lakewood, CO, 25:57.

Indian Summer Half Marathon Boulder, CO September 13, 2009 358 Finishers - Timing By: Boulder Road Runners - Elevation: Start/Finish = 5,430’ - Course Records: New Race Male (Overall): 1. Jason Simpson, 25, Boulder, CO, 1:15:53 CR; 2. Bill Hibdon, 29, Boulder, CO, 1:16:37; 3. Daniel Verdi, 27, Denver, CO, 1:17:31; 4. Kristopher Swygert, 32, Englewood, CO, 1:18:17; 5. Richard Dissly, 44, Boulder, CO, 1:20:03. Masters (40+): 1. Richard Dissly, 44, Boulder, CO, 1:20:03; 2. Steve Fether, 43, Boulder, CO, 1:20:21; 3. Darren De Reuck, 44, Boulder, CO, 1:21:52. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Rick Bruess, 50, Boulder, CO, 1:24:07; 2. Richard Hall, 51, Boulder, CO, 1:33:43; 3. Nicholas Flores, 51, Boulder, CO, 1:33:58. Seniors (60+): 1. Jeffrey Dumas, 63, Boulder, CO, 1:44:22; 2. Steve Walker, 62, Boulder, CO, 1:48:32; 3.

Robert Reed, 62, Boulder, CO, 1:52:43. Female (Overall): 1. Kayoko Obata, 37, Boulder, CO, 1:19:44 CR; 2. Colleen De Reuck, 45, Boulder, CO, 1:21:25 SR; 3. Yuka Aikawa, 25, Boulder, CO, 1:22:45; 4. Noelle Green, 44, Erie, CO, 1:24:47; 5. Martha Tenorio, 43, Boulder, CO, 1:26:26. Masters (40+): 1. Colleen De Reuck, 45, Boulder, CO, 1:21:25 SR; 2. Noelle Green, 44, Erie, CO, 1:24:47; 3. Martha Tenorio, 43, Boulder, CO, 1:26:26. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Barbarann Mallory, 50, Littleton, CO, 1:35:44; 2. Cathy Condon, 52, Boulder, CO, 1:44:20; 3. Terry Petersen, 53, Arvada, CO, 1:46:12.

Seniors (60+): 1. Jo Ann Meyer, 66, Longmont, CO, 1:46:49; 2. Rima Lurie, 61, Boulder, CO, 2:00:13; 3. Marci Roschke, 61, Boulder, CO, 2:03:02.

Run, Rabbit, Run 50M Steamboat Springs, CO September 19, 2009 101 Finishers - Timing by: Steamboat Running Series - Elevation: Start/ Finish = 6,950’ - Course Records: Zeke Tiernan, 8:05 (2007); Samantha Sigel, 9:44 (2007)

Runner’s gather at the start line before the Pikes Peak Marathon.

24 coloradorunnermag.com

November/December 2009

Male (Overall): 1. Ryan Burch, 29, Greeley, CO, 7:26 CR; 2.

Bryan Goding, 37, Fort Collins, CO, 8:05; 3. Marco Peinado, 22, Leadville, CO, 8:14; 4. Jason Poole, 38, Evergreen CO, 8:26; 5. Ray Hughes, 34, Frasier, CO, 8:35. Masters (40+): 1. Matthew Weatherley, 45, Boise, ID, 8:53; 2. Danny Gnojek, 42, Silverthorne, CO, 8:56; 3. Andrew Manning, 43, Evergreen, CO, 9:29. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Allen Hadley, 52, Crested Butte, CO, 9:09; 2. Mark Mills, 54, Lyons, CO, 10:52; 3. Jorge Arias, 53, Boulder, CO, 11:37. Seniors (60+): 1. Jeffrey Dumas, 63, Boulder, CO, 1:44:22; 2. Steve Walker, 62, BoBob Findley, 61, Littleton, CO, 12:18; 2. Jon Hobbs, 64, Evergreen, CO, 14:07; 3. Rob Thruston, 60, Laramie, WY,

Top: Steve Glass /Glass Photography, Bottom: Bernie Boettcher

Male (Overall): 1. Kennett Kiptoo, 29, Aurora, CO, 15:02 CR; 2. Will Kelsay, 28, Boulder, CO, 17:35; 3. Simon Escorcia, 31, Denver, CO, 17:47; 4. Joe Micheli, 30, Scottsdale, AZ, 17:51; 5. Edward Steinhauser, 40, Denver, CO, 18:06; 6. Ed McDevitt, 30, Boulder, CO, 18:08; 7. Edward Le Grice, 32, Denver, CO, 18:11; 8. Mark Hoener, 24, Denver, CO, 18:44; 9. Clark Fox, 47, Denver, CO, 18:47; 10. Eric Schwartz, 39, Boulder, CO, 18:59. Masters (40+): 1. Edward Steinhauser, 40, Denver, CO, 18:06; 2. Clark Fox, 47, Denver, CO, 18:47; 3. James Dykema, 47, Longmont, CO, 20:12. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Jim McDonnell, 51, Denver, CO, 22:08; 2. Tom Bolan, 51, Aurora, CO, 22:45; 3. Kirk Dearden, 51, Broken Arrow, OK, 25:18. Seniors (60+): 1. Richard Hoff, 65, Lakewood, CO, 28:07; 2. Richard Valent, 63, Boulder, CO, 28:25; 3. Steve Dethomas, 62, Centennial, CO, 42:54.

Female (Overall): 1. Nan Kennard, 28, Westminster, CO, 17:27 CR; 2. Kelly Escorcia, 29, Denver, CO, 18:08; 3.

Uli Bromme, 28, Boulder, CO, 18:24; 4. Erin Martson, 24, Denver, CO, 19:04; 5. Tasha Power, 32, Boulder, CO,19:29; 6. Emily Loose, 28, Boulder, CO, 20:22; 7. Becki Lynn Lassley, 31, Golden, CO, 20:55; 8. Gina Baker, 26, Denver, CO, 21:06; 9. Marily MacDonald, 25, Granby, CO, 21:36; 10.

Melinda Mueller, 40, Highlands Ranch, CO, 21:36. Masters (40+): 1. Melinda Mueller, 40, Highlands Ranch, CO, 21:36; 2. Amber McGregor, 41, Denver, CO, 23:58; 3. Alexandra Debever, 41, Highlands Ranch, CO, 24:06. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Micky Simpson, 52, Peyton, CO, 26:46; 2. Kathy Reams, 50, Loveland, CO, 26:57; 3. Maria Walters, Rio

Sign NOWUp ! present

s

Coloradoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fastest Course

MaRaTHon HaLf MaRaTHon* 10K

Course Records

PoinT To PoinT 5K

Colorado Marathon Male: Daniel Shaw 2:25:55.8 2004 Female: Kara Roy 2:46:30 2006

HeaLTHy KidS Run SeRieS evenT

Half Marathon Male: Mark Lonac 1:10:43 2009 Female: Danielle Korb 1:17:01 2008

Enjoy the Beauty of the Poudre River Canyon

May 9, 2010 www.thecoloradomarathon.com *The Colorado Half Marathon is a part of the 2010 Colorado Runner Racing Series

Event Sponsors Marathon Sponsor

Healthy Kids Run Sponsor

Half Marathon Sponsor

Official Print Media Sponsors

10K Sponsor

EXPO Sponsor

5K Sponsor

Race Headquarters

Official Shoe & Apparel

Contributing Sponsors

#/,/2!$/

>> RACE RESULTS << 14:33. Female (Overall): 1. Jenna Gruben, 32, Steamboat Springs, CO, 9:14 CR; 2. Sonja Wieck, 29, Greenwood Village, CO, 9:20; 3. Caroline Walden, 34, Boulder, CO, 9:46; 4. Leila DeGrave, 31, Evergreen, CO, 9:55; 5. Kathryn Taylor, 35, Oak Creek, CO, 10:07. Masters (40+): 1. Colleen Ihnken, 45, Alma, CO, 10:17; 2. Gwen Scott, 42, Seattle, WA, 10:38; 3. Leslee Hampel, 43, Evergreen, CO, 10:46.

Grand Masters (50+): 1. Shane Holonitch, 58, Littleton, CO, 13:31. Seniors (60+): 1. No Finishers.

Lead King Loop Marble, CO September 20, 2009 169 Finishers (126 - 25K, 43 - 12K) - Timing by: Lead King Loop - Elevation: Start/Finish = 7,900’ - Course Records: 25K - Aaron Coe, 1:55:42 (2006); Darcy Africa, 2:19:57 (2005); 12K - Brian Johnson, 56:04 (2008); Claire Critchley, 1:08:59 (2007)

Zooma Half Marathon/5M Denver, CO September 20, 2009 686 Finishers (523 - 13.1M, 163 - 5M) - Timing By: Hallucination Sports - Elevation: Start/Finish = 5,350’ - Course Records: New Race 13.1M Female (Overall): 1. Amanda Lovato, 37, Boulder, CO, 1:26:00 CR; 2. Becca Prichard, 30, Erie, CO, 1:26:20; 3. Allison Krausen, 29, Edwards, CO, 1:29:46; 4. Janet Rooney, 45, Louisville, CO, 1:33:23; 5. Jennifer Cubillas, 40, Louisville, CO, 1:35:13; 6. Erica Pedron, 33, Aurora, CO, 1:37:21; 7. Jennifer Schaffner, 37, Golden, CO, 1:38:39; 8.

Katherine Green, 31, Denver, CO, 1:38:53; 9. Ana Kearns, 31, Denver, CO, 1:41:06; 10. Kate Krug, 31, Garden City, KS, 1:41:12. Masters (40+): 1. Janet Rooney, 45, Louisville, CO, 1:33:23; 2. Jennifer Cubillas, 40, Louisville, CO, 1:35:13; 3.

Leslie Hoffmann, 43, Louisville, CO, 1:43:42. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Cindy Matthes-Loy, 51, Fort Myers, FL, 1:56:00; 2.

Diane Kallgren, 51, Boulder, CO, 1:56:11; 3. Cindy Sutton, 56, Arvada, CO, 2:06:41. Seniors (60+): 1. Sally King, 60, Houston, TX, 2:02:32; 2. Kathy Jakubowski, 67, Denver, CO, 2:31:40; 3. Penelope O’Donnell, 60, Golden, CO, 2:36:31.

5M Female (Overall): 1. Beth Hanson, 42, Atlanta, GA, 37:57 CR; 2. Christy Aragon, 41, Parker, CO, 39:05; 3.

Renee Barker, 38, Denver, CO, 39:12; 4. Kathy Hutton, 44, Kentfield, CA, 39:40; 5. Kathy Werbick, 40, Castle Rock, CO, 41:11. Masters (40+): 1. Beth Hanson, 42, Atlanta, GA, 37:57; 2. Christy Aragon, 41, Parker, CO, 39:05; 3.

Kathy Hutton, 44, Kentfield, CA, 39:40. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Maureen Cavanah, 52, Lakewood, CO, 49:31; 2.

Lois Hogan, 54, Littleton, CO, 51:41; 3. Bonnie Becker, 58, Parker, CO, 53:13. Seniors (60+): 1. Wanda Gerard, 63, Duluth, MN, 1:15:48.

26 coloradorunnermag.com

Nearly 700 women made the Zooma Half Marathon and 5M in Denver one of Colorado’s most successful first year events ever!

Boulder Marathon/Half Marathon Boulder, CO September 20, 2009 2,120 Finishers (455 - 26.2M, 1,665 - 13.1M) - Elevation: Start/Finish = 5,350’ - Course Records: Marathon = Jerry Lawson, 2:31:12 (2001); Nuta Olaru, 2:43:10 (2006); Half Marathon = Scott Larson, 1:06:31 (2003); Yasuyo Iwamoto, 1:16:04 (2004) 26.2M Male (Overall): 1. Johannes Rudolph, Boulder, CO, 2:52:29; 2. John Sell, Boulder, CO, 3:12:13; 3. Sean Vanhorn, Boulder, O, 3:13:50; 4. Andrew Henry, Boulder, CO, 3:15:18; 5. Jeremy Maxwell, Fort Smith, AR, 3:21:23.

Masters (40+): 1. Johannes Rudolph, Boulder, CO, 2:52:29; 2. Michael O’Hagan, Denver, CO, 3:25:21; 3. Greg Kopp, Boulder, CO, 3:25:24. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Tim Perley, Boulder, CO, 3:35:28; 2. Steve Bremner, Manitou Springs, CO, 3:42:29; 3. Bob Basse, Denver, CO, 3:42:33. Seniors (60+): 1. Dave Diaz, Pueblo, CO, 4:11:20; 2. Gary Circosta, Rutland, MA, 4:14:55; 3. Roger Biggs, Stevenage, HE, 4:21:08. Female (Overall): 1. Monica Joyce, Ann Arbor, MI, 3:25:13; 2. Anna Lieb, Golden, CO, 3:33:57; 3. Darby Warr, Lakewood, CO, 3:34:07; 4. Jessica Miller, Leadville, CO, 3:50:23; 5. Ania Brakhage, Lafayette, CO, 3:52:05. Masters (40+): 1. Julie Seydel, Louisville, CO, 3:52:22; 2. Sandra Mabry, Crested Butte, CO, 3:56:36; 3. Hideko Kawasaki, Tachikawa, TO, 3:57:30. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Monica Joyce, Ann Arbor, MI, 3:25:13; 2. Atsuki Ohtake, Golden, CO, 4:02:01; 3. Lucinda West, Broomfield, CO, 4:06:45.

Seniors (60+): 1. Diane Ridgway, Arvada, CO, 4:13:20; 2.

Deborah Reinemann, Gurnee, IL, 6:07:57; 3. Lillys Price, Fort Collins, CO, 7:06:24.

13.1M Male (Overall): 1. Andrew Letherby, Boulder, CO, 1:12:55; 2. Brice Young, Boulder, CO, 1:16:58; 3. Charlie Gruber, Arvada, CO, 1:18:03; 4. Timothy DeBoom, Boulder, CO, 1:20:02; 5. Rob Kosick, Denver, CO, 1:20:24; 6. Matt Hill, Boulder, CO, 1:20:43; 7. David Glennon, Boulder, CO, 1:20:49; 8. Ryan Herzog, Denver, CO, 1:22:51; 9. Alex Hudgins, Golden, CO, 1:23:15; 10. John Glennon, Boulder, CO, 1:23:54. Masters (40+): 1. James Ysebaret, Lafayette, CO, 1:26:49; 2. Bobby Stucky, Boulder, CO, 1:28:51; 3.

Matthew Frank, Boulder, CO, 1:31:02. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Greg Diamond, Cortlandt Manor, NY, 1:26:30; 2.

Jay Survil, Aurora, CO, 1:30:48; 3. David Pierce, Englewood, CO, 1:32:58. Seniors (60+): 1. John Bliss, Lafayette, CO, 1:55:28; 2. John Caldwell, Longmont, CO, 1:58:21; 3. Lou Huie, Colorado Springs, CO, 2:00:42. Female (Overall): 1.

Magdalena Donahue, Albuquerque, NM, 1:25:21; 2. Kelly Escorcia, Denver, CO, 1:27:43; 3. Emma Keenan, Boulder, CO, 1:27:47; 4. Stephanie Anderson, Arvada, CO, 1:31:13; 5. Uli Broome, Boulder, CO, 1:32:03; 6. Kelly McConnell, Evergreen, CO, 1:34:43; 7. Nicole Deboom, Boulder, CO, 1:36:19; 8. Rosario Egan, Parker, CO, 1:37:12; 9. Lesia Atkinson, Boulder, CO, 1:37:53; 10. Peggy Panzer, Aurora, CO, 1:38:31. Masters (40+): 1. Lesia Atkinson, Boulder, CO, 1:37:53; 2. Peggy Panzer, Aurora, CO, 1:38:31; 3. Ellen Wallace, Sunnyvale, CA, 1:45:34. Grand Masters (50+): 1.

Deb Thomford, Zumbrota, MN, 1:46:37; 2. Brenda Gutmann, Borden, IN, 2:03:58; 3. Janet Heck Doyle, Evergreen, CO, 2:04:24. Seniors (60+): 1. Suzanne Moody, Boulder, CO,

November/December 2009

1:46:34; 2. Kathy Kirsling, Tijeras, NM, 2:10:24; 3. Robin Flannery, Niwot, CO, 2:24:07.

Oktoberfest 10K/5K Denver, CO September 27, 2009 672 Finishers (367 - 10K, 305 - 5K) - Timing By: Hallucination Sports - Elevation: Start/Finish = 5,290’ - Course Records: Unknown 10K Male (Overall): 1. Eric Bunch, 27, Denver, CO, 35:23; 2. Luke Siekmeier, 42, Denver, CO, 38:18; 3. Mark Barela, Denver, CO, 38:40; 4. Andrew Stephen, 41, 39:55; 5. Eric Garber, 30, Golden, CO, 39:55. Masters (40+): 1. Luke Siekmeier, 42, Denver, CO, 38:18; 2. Andrew Stephen, 41, 39:55; 3. Tim Buese, 40, 43:50. Grand Masters (50+): 1. John Deutschbein, 50, Loveland, CO, 49:40; 2. Mike Mooney, 5, Centennianl, CO, 51:42; 3. Steve Ruddock, 57, Boulder, CO, 55:48. Seniors (60+): 1. David Dawson, 60, Aurora, CO, 59:36; 2. Ken Lehmker, 61, Littleton, CO, 1:00:28; 3. Ron Berglund, 62, Kingwood, TX, 1:05:28.

Female (Overall): 1. Heather Anna Utrata, 27, Englewood, CO, 41:49; 2. Sarah Krakoff, 44, Boulder, CO, 42:04; 3.

Emma Catmur, 24, 43:51; 4. Peggy Muhn, 57, Wheat Ridge, CO, 45:45; 5. Lorin Shimonek, 33, Lakewood, CO, 46:49.

Masters (40+): 1. Sarah Krakoff, 44, Boulder, CO, 42:04; 2. Caren Matteucci, 40, Morrison, CO, 47:43; 3. Denise Schmersal, 40, Denver, CO, 47:45. Grand Masters (50+): 1.

Peggy Muhn, 57, Wheat Ridge, CO, 45:45; 2. Delcia Litt, 51, Jefferson, CO, 47:05; 3. Roberta Kilroy, 51, Morrison, CO, 47:41. Seniors (60+): 1. Annette Durlam, 64, Thornton, CO, 1:02:12; 2. Hazel Ludwig, 60, Erie, CO, 1:02:50; 3. Carole Adams, South Boston, MA, 1:12:57.

5K Male (Overall): 1. Brice Young, 24, Boulder, CO, 16:32; 2. Andrew Hoffman, 25,17:43; 3. Edward Legrice, 32,17:54; 4. Samuel Clark, 24, Colorado Springs, CO, 17:59; 5. John Garvey, 26,18:24. Masters (40+): 1. Victor Torres, 47, Euless, TX, 23:18; 2. David Harbaugh, 45, Castle Rock, CO, 23:20; 3. David Port, 41, Denver, CO, 23:57. Grand Masters (50+): 1. Felix Lopez, 56, 21:35; 2. Archie Clark, 56, Colorado Springs, CO, 26:01; 3. Henry Benjamin, 54, Littleton, CO, 26:51. Seniors (60+): 1. Drew Clark, 62, Erie, CO, 20:27; 2. Mark Lettes, 60, 26:20; 3. Ronald Davis, 64, Aurora, CO, 26:36. Female (Overall): 1. Casey Shea, 24, Colorado Springs, CO, 20:51; 2. Sydney Ayers, 46, 21:58; 3.

Jess Ryan, 26, Westminster, CO, 21:59; 4. Kate Colson, 27, Middletown, CT, 23:54; 5. Ashley Montgomery, 26, Superior, CO, 24:01. Masters (40+): 1. Sydney Ayers, 46, 21:58; 2.

Michelle Delpicollo, 45, Lakewood, CO, 26:13; 3. Brigid O’Connor, 40, Denver, CO, 26:18. Grand Masters (50+): 1.

Maureen Ruddock, 52, Boulder, CO, 30:20; 2. Kathy Cooper, 55, Aurora, CO, 31:21; 3. Eileen McGinnity, 54, 33:22.

Seniors (60+): 1. Carol Robbins, 67, Denver, CO, 29:10; 2. Diane Minka, 62, Denver, CO, 29:36; 3. Cheryl Ames, 61, Arvada, CO, 40:09.

For more results, visit our website: www.coloradorunnermag.com

Courtesy of Brightroom.com

25K Male (Overall): 1. Bernie Boettcher, 47, Silt, CO, 2:03:56; 2. Heath Hibbard, 56, Montrose, CO, 2:17:29; 3.

Mark Walters, 40, Buena Vista, CO, 2:17:59; 4. Mike Porter, 36, Loveland, CO, 2:18:31; 5. Drew Scott, 31, Carbondale, CO, 2:20:44. Masters (40+): 1. Bernie Boettcher, 47, Silt, CO, 2:03:56; 2. Mark Walters, 40, Buena Vista, CO, 2:17:59; 3. Steve Shelafo, 47, 2:27:57. Grand Masters (50+): 1.

Heath Hibbard, 56, Montrose, CO, 2:17:29; 2. Don Powers, 52, Colorado Springs, CO, 2:23:17; 3. Dean Buzbee, 54, Santa Fe, NM, 2:30:21. Seniors (60+): 1. Dave Dooley, 62, Erie, CO, 2:43:45; 2. Gary Hollenbaugh, 63, Parachute, CO, 3:02:12; 3. Larry Avery, 68, Boulder, CO, 3:13:41.

Female (Overall): 1. Cynthia Arnold, 25, 2:19:37 CR; 2.

Myriah Blair, 32, Glenwood Springs, CO, 2:27:19; 3. Julia Bensen, 29, Aspen, CO, 2:31:18; 4. Monique Merrill, 40, 2:34:47; 5. Jennifer Mendez, 37, 2:40:30. Masters (40+): 1.

Monique Merrill, 40, 2:34:47; 2. Stella Heffron, 42, Parker, CO, 2:41:31; 3. Nankeith Frates, 49, Fruita, CO, 2:42:04.

Grand Masters (50+): 1. Patty Bryant, 50, Santa Barbara, CA, 2:47:37; 2. Annie Ley, 50, Missula, MT, 3:03:43; 3.

Jan Peart, 57, Ridgway, CO, 3:23:40. Seniors (60+): 1.

Stephanie Wiecks, 62, Palmer Lake, CO, 3:19:56; 2. Gloria Montoya, 61, 4:02:45.

12K Male (Overall): 1. Shawn Scholl, 45, Kremmling, CO, 55:11 CR; 2. Brian Johnson, 39, Aspen, CO, 56:06; 3. Steve Blair, 38, Glenwood Springs, CO, 1:02:29; 4. Phil Oreste, 42, Mill Valley, CA, 1:05:23; 5. Matthew Smith, 30, Carbondale, CO, 1:09:55. Female (Overall): 1. Heidi Vosbeck, 48, Glenwood Springs, CO, 1:04:59 CR; 2. Steph Scholl, 47, Kremmling, CO, 1:07:10; 3. C Cary, 36, 1:12:37; 4. Kristen Denney, 24, Grand Junction, CO, 1:13:42; 5. Jeanne Blatter, 52, Silt, CO, 1:15:36.

Winter Distance Series Get off the couch and get in shape this winter!

Rudolph’s Revenge 5K/10K, Frosty’s Frozen Five 5M/10M, & the Snowman Stampede 5M/10M are the three races of the Winter Distance Series.

RUDOLPH’S REVENGE 5K/10K

December 19, 2009 Frosty’s Frozen Five & Ten

January 16, 2010

Snowman Stampede 5M/10M

February 27, 2010

These races are perfect training for a spring marathon!

Register for the whole series and save $10 plus get a free one year subscription to Colorado Runner.

Visit our website for details and registration info.

www.winterdistanceseries.com

>> EVENT GUIDE << Not all race information may be correct.

Some races will change dates or start times. Please confirm all information before traveling to an event.

running / walking KEY

$$ 09

Chip Timed Events USATF Certified Course Prize Money Offered 2009 Colorado Runner Racing Series Event

11/01

Boulder Roubaix; 15K; 10:00 AM; Boulder, CO; dbcevents.com; 303-619-9419

11/01

PPRR Fall Series III; 5.5M; 11:30 AM; Ute Valley Park, Colorado Springs, CO; pprrun.org; 719-5982953

11/07

Comea House Turkey Trot; 5K; 9:00 AM; Cheyenne, WY; kingston@rockymtnlaw.com; 307638-8885

11/07

Fall for Fun 5K; 9:00 AM; Durango, CO; go-dmt. org; 970-259-7114

11/07

Harbert Lumber Fall Festival 5K; 10:00 AM; Canyon View Park, Grand Junction, CO; 970-2579267

11/07

Heart Center of the Rockies Half Marathon; 13.1M, 10K, 5K; 8:30 AM; Boyd Lake State Park, Loveland, CO; runnersroostftcollins.com; 970-2249114

11/07

Hustle For Russell; 5K; 9:00 AM; Pleasant View Middle School, Pueblo, CO; socorunners.org

11/07

Littleton Stride; 5K; 8:00 AM; Ketring Park, Littleton, CO; bkbltd.com; 303-347-3478;

11/07

National Run For US; 4M; 1:00 PM; Downtown, Colorado Springs, CO; deservi@comcast.net

11/14

Two Turkey Relay; 9:30 AM; Riverside Park, Salida, CO; salidarec.com/ccrc; 719-539-6231

12/06

Washington Park 4M; 4.4M; 8:00 AM; Washington Park, Denver, CO; rmrr.org; 303-871-8366

11/15

Panicking Poultry; 5K; 9:30 AM; Boulder Reservoir, Boulder, CO; panickingpoultry5k.com; 303-8155690;

12/12

2 Mile Challenge Series X; 2M; 8:00 AM; North Casper Soccer Fields, Casper, WY; windycitystriders.com

11/15

PPRR Fall Series IV; 7M; 11:30 AM; Palmer Park, Colorado Springs, CO; pprrun.org; 719-598-2953

12/12

11/21

Bear Creek 10-Spot; 10M; 9:00 AM; Bear Creek Lake Park, Lakewood, CO; runuphillracing.com; 303-870-0487

CMRA Aurora Sports Park XC; 12K, 8K, 4K; 9:00 AM; Aurora Sports Park, Aurora, CO; comastersrun. org; 720-480-2370

12/12

Jingle Fest 5K; 9:30 AM; Fountain Valley YMCA, Fountain, CO; pprun.org; 719-382-1561

11/21

Gobble Wobble 5K; 9:00 AM; Green Valley Ranch Recreation Center, Denver, CO; bkbltd.com; 303694-2030

12/12

Stocking Shuffle 5K; 9:00 AM; America The Beautiful Park, Colorado Springs, CO; pprrun.org

11/21

Turkey Trot 5K; 8:30 AM; Recreation Center, Brighton, CO; brightonco.gov; 303-655-2221;

12/13

Christmas Classic 4M; 9:00 AM; Foot of the Rockies, Fort Collins, CO; footoftherockies.com; 970-377-8005

11/22

Fall Cross 2009; 5M, 4M; 10:00 AM; Buffalo Ranch, Boulder, CO; fallcross.com

12/13

11/22

Park County Extra 5K; 10:00 AM; Fitzsimmons Middle School, Bailey, CO; extravaganza5k.com; 303-838-4423 x10; $$

Farolito Trail of Lights; 5K; 5:30 PM; Albuquerque Academy, Albuquerque, NM; the-athletes-edge.com; 505-856-9377

12/13

11/26

Anthem CO Turkey Day 5K; 9:00 AM; Parkside Recreation Center, Broomfield, CO; redlineraces. com; 720-270-6569

Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis; 5K; 10:15 AM; Washington Park, Denver, CO; jinglebellrundenver. kintera.org; 303-756-8622;

12/19

11/26

Briargate Family YMCA Turkey Trot; 5K; 9:00 AM; Briargate Family YMCA, Colorado Springs, CO; ppymca.org; 719-495-5103

11/26

CU Turkey Trot; 5K; 10:00 AM; University of Colorado, Boulder, CO; boulderroadrunners.org; 303-492-8776

11/26

Hobbler Gobbler Thanksgiving Day Run; 10K, 5K; 9:00 AM; Rio Rancho Aquatic Center, Rio Rancho, NM; the-athletes-edge.com; 505-299-3521;

Resolution 5K; 6:00 PM; Washington Park, Denver, CO; emgcolorado.com; 303-635-2815;

12/31

Resolution Run; 5K; 6:00 PM; CSU Campus, Fort Collins, CO; krfcfm.org; 970-221-5075;

01/01

Rescue Run; 10K, 5K; 10:00 AM; Palmer Park, Colorado Springs, CO; pprrun.org; 719-473-7848

01/02

Turquoise Lake 20M Snowshoe Run; 10:00 AM; Sugar Loafin’ Campground, Leadville, CO; salidarec.com/ccrc; 719-539-4112 PPRR Winter Series I; 10K, 5K; Cheyenne Mountain State Park, Colorado Springs, CO; pprrun. org; 719-338-8639

01/09

Quicker Quaker 5K; 10:00 AM; Lafayette, CO; lafayettecolorado.com

01/16

Frosty’s Frozen Five; 10M, 5M; 10:00 AM; Littleton, CO; winterdistanceseries.com; 720-9859047;

01/17

Ghost Town Ultra; 38.5M; 6:00 AM; Gila National Forest, Hillsboro, NM; journeyheretothere.com; 575-895-3383

01/23

PPRR Winter Series II; 8M, 4M; El Pomer Youth Sports Park, Colorado Springs, CO; pprrun.org; 719-338-8639

01/30

Winter Warm Up 5K; 11:00 AM; Gateway, CO; gatewaycanyonsevents.com; 970-931-2649

11/07

11/26

NCMC Turkey Trot; 5K; 9:00 AM; North Colorado Medical Center, Greeley, CO; andrew.smith1@ bannerhealth.com; 970-350-6170

11/07

Twin Peaks XC Challenge; 10:00 AM; Longmont, CO; fallcross.com

11/26

Mile High United Way Turkey Trot; 4M; 10:00 AM; Washington Park, Denver, CO; bkbltd.com; 303694-2030;

11/07

Veteran’s Day 5K; 8:00 AM; Metro State College, Denver, CO; racingunderground.com

11/08

America For Gold 5K; 9:00 AM; Palmer Park, Colorado Springs, CO; americaforgold.org; 719473-4488

11/08

Children’s Hospital Race for Fetal Hope; 5K; 10:00 AM; Washington Park, Denver, CO; fetalhope. org; 303-932-0553;

11/08

11/14

11/26

Thanksgivings Day Run; 4M; 9:00 AM; Old Town, Fort Collins, CO; timberlinetimng.com; 970-4820551; $$

11/26

Turkey Day 5K; 9:00 AM; Shea Statium, Highlands Ranch, CO; td5k.com; 303-791-3500;

11/26

Turkey Rock Trot; 5K; 9:30 AM; The Grange, Castle Rock, CO; rocktrot.com; 303-663-3817

Westminster City Park 9M; 9:00 AM; City Park, Westminster, CO; rmrr.org; 303-871-8366

11/26

Turkey Trot 5K; 8:00 AM; McKee Medical Center, Loveland, CO; mckeefoundation.com

2 Mile Challenge Series IX; 2M; 8:00 AM; North Casper Soccer Fields, Casper, WY; windycitystriders.com

11/27

Turkey Trot 5K; 9:00 AM; Cottonwood Creek Park, Colorado Springs, CO; pprrun.org; 719-598-6688

multi-sport

11/28

Fishers of Men Fellowship 5K; 10:00 AM; Auroa Municipal Court, Aurora, CO; 303-877-8534

12/12

12/05

Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis; 5K; 10:00 AM; CSU Campus, Fort Collins, CO; jinglebellrunnco. kintera.org; 303-756-8622 x230;

Chilly Cheeks Winter Duathlon I; 10:00 AM; Cherry Creek State Park, Denver, CO; racingunderground.com; 303-642-7917

01/23

12/05

New Mexico Jingle Bell Run/Walk; 10K, 5K; 10:00 AM; Balloon Fiesta Park, Albuquerque, NM; newmexicojbrw.kintera.org;

Chilly Cheeks Winter Duathlon II; 10:00 AM; Cherry Creek State Park, Denver, CO; racingunderground.com; 303-642-7917

12/05

Nielson Challenge; 2M; 8:00 AM; North Monument Valley Park, Colorado Springs, CO; pprrun.org

12/05

Rock Canyon Half Marathon; 13.1M; 9:00 AM; City Park, Pueblo, CO; socorunners.org; 719-564-9303

12/05

Winter Sun 10K; 10:00 AM; Moab Golf Course, Moab, UT; moabhalfmarathon.org; 435-259-4525

12/06

ColderBOLDER 5K; 8:00 AM; University of Colorado, Boulder, CO; bolderboulder.com; 303444-RACE

12/06

Rudolph Ramble 5K; 10:00 AM; City Park, Denver, CO; rundenverseries.com; 303-694-2202;

Atalanta Women’s 5K; 9:00 AM; City Park, Pueblo, CO; socorunners.org; 719-564-9303 CMRA Cherry Creek Trail Race; 7.5M; 9:00 AM; Cherry Creek State Park, Denver, CO; comastersrun.org; 303-765-5512 Home for the Holidays; 5K; 9:00 AM; Central Park, Denver, CO; coloradocoalition.org; 303-244-1800;

11/14

HRCA Wildcat Mountain Half Marathon; 13.1M; 8:30 AM; Highlands Ranch, CO; highlandsranchrunseries.com; 303-471-7053; USATF, Chip

11/14

Longmont Turkey Trot; 10K, 2M; 9:00 AM; Westview Middle School, Longmont, CO; www. ci.longmont.co.us/rec; 303-651-8405

11/14

12/31

01/09

Rocky Mountain Cross Country Classic; 5K; 10:00 AM; City Park, Pueblo, CO; jeffaco@earthlink. net; 719-947-3682

11/14

Kwanzaa 5K; 10:00 AM; Aurora Municipal Court, Aurora, CO; 303-877-8534

Durango Turkey Trot; 5M, 1M; 10:00 AM; Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO; go-dmt.org; 970-2475059

Nielson Challenge; 2M; 8:00 AM; North Monument Valley Park, Colorado Springs, CO; pprrun.org

11/14

12/26

11/26

11/07

11/14

Rudolph’s Revenge; 10K, 5K; 10:00 AM; Littleton, CO; winterdistanceseries.com; 720-985-9047;

Rim Rock Marathon; 26.2M; 8:00 AM; Colorado National Monument, Grand Junction, CO; ascentproductions.net; 770-595-4556; $$

28 coloradorunnermag.com

November/December 2009

>> THE LIGHTER SIDE <<

by bob gassen

The Shirt Connection

One reason why many people cherish handmade quilts is that they often embody family history. That small olive green patch in the center came from Uncle Bill’s Army shirt that he wore in World War II when he was stationed in Europe. The piece with the strawberries came from Aunt Sara’s dress. On a smaller scale, a running shirt quilt also represents a runner’s personal running history, not only the races that the shirts designate, but also the training leading up to them.

I first saw a running shirt quilt about 15 years ago when I lived in Hutchinson, Kansas. My friend, Ted Crank, was a running legend in Central Kansas. After graduating from the University of Kansas where he was captain of the KU cross country team, Ted moved back to Hutchinson where he won numerous road races at nearly every distance.

I recall watching the sports highlights on television, seeing Ted win the KAKE TV Wichita Marathon.

One afternoon, Ted showed me the running shirt quilt that his mom gave him as a gift. The 78 x 66 inch quilt documented many of Ted’s achievements and his love for running. Pointing to the Wichita Marathon shirt, I remarked, “I saw you on TV crossing the finish line in that race.”

I liked the quilt so much that I vowed to have one made for me if I could find someone to do the work. Making a shirt quilt not only requires skill, but also is labor intensive.

Two years ago, shortly after I turned 60, my friend, Janice Larson, retired after 35 years of public school teaching. One evening Janice mentioned to my wife, Jan, that she now had time to make some quilts.

Knowing that I had almost given up on having a running shirt quilt, Jan asked Janice if she would make me a shirt quilt. When she consented to the project, I had no idea how much time I would spend just selecting the shirts.

Waiting a long time for a shirt quilt has a definite advantage; the 30 coloradorunnermag.com

November/December 2009

quilt will reflect a long history. But the selection process may take a number of hours. Like many runners, I save shirts. Even though I have given shirts to family members and used some as rags after they have become worn out, I still have boxes of shirts. When I moved from Hutchinson to Canon City, Colorado eight years ago, I donated shirts to the Salvation Army, but I still had at least 100 shirts. Then the Colorado collection began. At 12 to 15 races per year, I can fill boxes with shirts in no time. A shirt quilt requires about 30 shirts.

I began my project by emptying boxes and dresser drawers full of shirts onto the living room floor. Examining each shirt, I eliminated some shirts from consideration based on the quality of design and the memories they evoked. If a race wasn’t spectacular and the shirt had a pedestrian design, it went back into the box.

Like some runners, I have personal traditions. For example, each year, I ran the St. Pat’s Road Race in Manhattan, Kansas. St. Pat’s was more than just a race; it was a huge festival, a running party. For me, it became a rite of spring. As I looked at one of the St. Pat’s shirts, I remembered Jim Ryan giving me an age group medal.

This shirt would have to be a part of the quilt. Now that I lived in Southern Colorado, the Pueblo Spring Runoff has become my rite of spring.

When I looked at my Runoff shirts, I recalled looking down on the track from the top of Dutch Clark Stadium, watching exhausted runners finish their race. I selected the Spring Runoff shirt with the most unusual graphics and put it into the keeper pile. And so it went until I finally selected 30 shirts.

The interesting part of a shirt quilt is that it is intensely personal.

When people see my quilt, they all like it, even non runners. Some point to specific shirts with “cool” designs such as the Hot to Trot 5K shirt, which features cartoon chiles racing to the finish line at the Pueblo Chile Festival. When I see this shirt, I remember enjoying a post-race breakfast with some friends at the Gold Dust Saloon.

In many aspects of life, timing is everything. Jan asked Janice if she would make the quilt at just the right time. Shortly after making my quilt, Janice accepted another teaching job. Retirement was more than she could bear.