Thursday, May 29, 2014

9 News Interview at Colfax Marathon

Here's a video of an Interview I did on 9 News at the 2014 Colfax Marathon on Sunday May 11, 2014.


I ran with the Spam Blockers this year.  Recovering from a hamstring pull in the spring, I ran it quite a bit slower this year (by 5 minutes for 6.5 miles).  49 Minutes.  Team finished in 4:19

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Georgetown Idaho Springs Half Marathon

I ran the Georgetown to Idaho Springs Half Marathon on August 10, 2013.
I ran a 1:34:10.  A pretty average performance on my part.  I felt good during the race, just didn't have the speed to push down to a 1:30 pace.   It's a fun race though, nice course downhill and great scenery.  Zach ran with me, he ran 1:26.  We did not hang around long after the race because we were moving him into his frat house in Boulder that day, so we went back to Denver after the finish.  Nice day though, Blue Skies, good temperatures.

Garmin Watch Data for the Race

Georgetown Idaho Springs Half Marathon Results


This was my 4th Half Marathon this year, and my slowest by about a minute.  I don't think I had enough recovery time after Evergreen to really go for a sub 1:30.

Georgetown Half Marathon, on the dirt portion around mile 8.

Monday, August 5, 2013

Evergreen Town Race - 10K


I ran the Evergreen Town Race on August 4, 2013.  I ran a really strong race with a nice pace and finally broke 40 minutes in the 10K.  I ran a 39:30, taking 2 minutes off of my Bolder Boulder 10k PR 2 months ago.  I finished 54 overall and 5th in my age group (10 year age groups 40 - 49).

Zach ran a strong 37:22, also a PR and taking 2 minutes off his Bolder Boulder time.

I ran behind Mike from our Pickled Prostates 2012 team.  We stayed together on a bout a 6:25 pace , I was just behind him   I had 20 on my Garmin at the 5k, so that means a negative split to break 40.  I pulled away from Mike at about 3.5 miles, I dropped my pace just a bit and ran 19:30 for the second 5k with a fast finish to beat the 39:30 clock.

Really like this course, downhill with a lot of turns, canyons, meadows and trees and a creek and a really nice neighborhood to run through.  The parking for the bus pickup and the bus organization could use a little work, but the post race party is really good also.

Garmin Watch Data for Race

Evergreen Town Race 2013 Results



Wednesday, July 24, 2013

EPIC Rocky Mountain Relay

I ran the EPIC Rocky Mountain Relay July 19, 20th with the Anadarko Petroleum  Gassers.  This was my fourth Relay with the Anadarko runners.  This year they had two teams.

I had a really fun time.  One of our runners, Sarah, was sick the night before the relay and dropped out just hours before we started the race.  So Bob, Lonnie and I split up her 3 legs, running 1 each.  That gave me 4 legs with 24 total miles (8 more than expected).

I ran all 4 legs hard.  3 of them were downhill, the 4th was short 3.5 miles but a steady uphill.

Only having 11 runners made us a faster team that with 12, due to the fastest 3 runners splitting the legs.  We finished in 28: 31:53.


Results for 2013 EPIC Rocky Mountain Relay



Starting Line, Van 1 from each team.  Sean, Candice, Katherine, Lori, Dennis, Neal, Sharon, Bob, Cary, Sherry, Scott, Lonnie


Finish Line Anadarko Gassers 28:31:53
Brandon, Mike, Chelsea, Bob, Candice, Ronnet,Dennis, Raleen, Katherine, Elizabeth, Lonnie





Hanging out between the exchanges

Bob Giving Me Water on Leg 6


A sunset finish for me in Salida, after Leg 18, my favorite leg of the 4.

Garmin Watch Data Leg 6

Garmin Watch Data Leg 18

Garmin Watch Data Leg 28

Garmin Watch Data Leg 30

Monday, July 8, 2013

Avery 4K on the Fourth

I ran the Avery 4K on the 4th.  On July 4th, 2013.  In Boulder, CO.

It's a fun race.  The course is pretty boring, running in a business park area next to Avery Brewery in Northeast Boulder.  But it's a flat and fast course, with 3 turnarounds though.  The Post Race party is fantastic with a real 4th of July Feel, great food and prizes and free Avery Beer with multiple choices for the runners.  I definitely recommend this race if you are a fan of fast, short races with a great post race party on the 4th of July.

It was a fast group of runners, lot of younger people and runners local to Boulder, so it was a fast start and a pretty good pack ahead of me, despite starting out front.  With 3 turn arounds, you can always see who is ahead and just behind you.  My goal was 3rd in my age group so I could "win" the 12 pack of beer given to the age group placers.  The Age group winner gets a case, looking at last years results, I figured that was out of reach.

I ran a fast 5k pace, my Garmin clocked 6 minute miles for the first 2 miles.  I felt good, especially coming out of each turn around.  Kind of hot on the road with a little shade to one side, but none for fhe last 1/2 mile.  After mile 2 I thought I was on track for a 15:00 2.48 mile / 4k.  I pushed it a bit going up the slight hill to the last turnaround and passed several runners.  I was surprised at the finish that the clock was well past 15:00, and on 15:30 as i finished.  I think the course might have been a bit long, because I was running a 5:50 pace the last 1/2 mile and my Garmin logged 2.6.
Garmin Watch Data for Race


I cam in 39th overall.  I did get 3rd in my Age Group, missing 2nd by about 10 seconds but first place was close to 14.  I felt like I could have pushed harder, especially the last half mile and gotten in under 15.

2013 Avery 4K on the Fourth Results



Avery 4K on the Fourth, with my 3rd place Age Group Winnings.
A 6 Pack of White Rascal and a 6 Pack of India Pale Ale
The post race was really fun, sat with some people I met and ate the delicious breakfast burritos and snacks and sampled some fine Avery Microbrew, watched the awards and lottery prizes and some fun patriotic rock music.  Then collected by 12 pack award and came home.   Happy 4th Everyone!

Monday, June 24, 2013

Slacker Half Marathon

I ran the Slacker Half Marathon on June 22, 2013.  I had a great race.  A PR of 1:26:28, taking almost 5 minutes off my previous PR of 1:31:16 in 2010 at Mickleson Trail, SD.   I got 2nd in my age group and 18th Overall and 18th male.

Slacker has always been one of my favorite races, it is so much fun. This was my 4th slacker.   From Loveland Ski Area down to Georgetown.  2500 Feet of Elevation drop from 10,800 down to 8,500 Feet.  I have not raced it since they paved the bike path where it used to be trail, it made for a faster course.   It was just a perfect day, all the way around.  No wind, sunny but not too hot, I was feeling good and got into a fast pace and held it the whole way.  I was aiming for a 1:30 (6:52 pace), but felt good running closer to 6:30 pace.  When I reached mile 9, I felt I was going to break 1:30, so anything else was gravy, so I pushed a bit and passed a couple of people.  I was expecting to slow down some, but it never happened (unlike the Platte half).  Mile 12 was my fastest mile, with a 6:11 split.

I thought a sub 1:30 would get me an age group podium finish, but I was surprised to get in the top 20 overall.  When I got to Bakerville a course marshal pointed at me and said 21.  I didn't know what he was talking about, since the watch time was close to 40 minutes.  Then I heard him say 22 to the person behind me and realized I was 21st.  How could that be, there were so many people ahead of me on the bike path around mile 1.  I had cruised through them.  After that I passed a couple on the frontage road and then the same guy was at mile 10 in Silverplume, pointed at me and said 19.   A guy passed me at the water station and I never passed him back, was gaining at the end but he finished 3 seconds ahead of me.  We passed 2 runners on the way to the finish.  1 guy ended up being in my age group and got 3rd, only 30 seconds behind me.
Feeling Good on the Frontage Road at Slacker Half


Start of Slacker, Loveland Ski Area.  Running downhill and into the sun on a great Colorado Summer Day.
It was one of those special days where everything clicks and feels so good.  Dennis Likes this.

I gave Kate Bjerke a ride to the race.  It was her first half marathon and her 2nd race ever (a 5k before she had children).  On the way up we saw two big horn sheep battling on the side of I-70 on the shoulder of the road.  I've never seen that , that close before.  Amazing, you could hear the horns crashing as we drove past.   We got to the race really early, got our bibs and on the bus with no problems, got there with over an hour before the race starts, which is the way I like it.  While we were standing around talking, I saw Diane, from the somewhat picked team a couple of years ago.  She recognized me and then the 3 of us hung out before the race, her first race since having a baby last year.  It was fun sharing the experience of Katie's first race, she ran a 2:08 and her family met her at the finish.   Diane ran a 2:01, we waited at the finish for Kate.


Slacker Mile 12 Just before Georgetown, still feeling strong and new it was a PR day.


After the race I was so happy.  One of those rare moments where you surpass your best expectations and feel so good about everything.  I enjoyed the post race and the podium for that brief few seconds I was up there, you never know when you are going to get that back.

Slacker Finish.  1:26:28, so Happy to Break 1:30 and have a huge PR

Garmin Watch Data for Race

Slacker Half Marathon Results


2nd Place in Age Group, on the podium with a medal.  What a great day.

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Muddy Buffalo - 2 Mile Obstacle Run


I ran the Smoky Hill High School Muddy Buffalo Run on June 1, 2013.  This is a fund raiser for the Smoky Hill Cross Country team and a fun events for the neighborhood parents, runners, high school students and teachers and the cross country team and alumni.

It's a run obstacle course that's a 1 mile loop starting on the track and going over hey bales, through a maze of reeds, crab walking uphill, through tires, of course the mud, hills and back on the track.

The parent community race does 2 loops, so 2 miles total.

I might not normally blog this race, but I won the parent/community/student race this year.  Ran 13:48.  About a minute and a half faster than last year similar course.  It's not very often if ever I WIN a race so I had to blog it.  Last year Bill beat me, I won this year because he's a bit injured and I'm in better shape.  And I wanted it.  I saw the tape for the kids race and thought, I've never taken the tape in a race I want to do that today.



Finally I get to take the tape and win a race.  I tried to make it dramatic for the camera, in my head this was  a much cooler picture.  Maybe I should have gone for the lean.


First Lap, leading the field through the Reed Maze

Rounding the Corner after the hills and the mud pit. 

Of course I had some bloody knees, some rocks in the mud pit got me.
Let the summer running scab season begin.



Winners of the Parent/community Race
Dennis(1), Bill (2), Gina (3rd), Deb (2nd)

Gina ran too, her first race in a while, this was a goal for her though.  She did great, even got a medal for 3rd female.


More Pictures on the Smoky Hill Cross County Facebook Page Click Here