Huge Cash Purse on the Line at Sunday's Heart & Sole Half Marathon in Boulder

The third race of the USATF Colorado Grand Prix, Sunday’s Heart & Sole half marathon will crown another set of state champions. With an incredible amount of prize money up for grabs, the men’s race will be the premier event, and likely the state’s most competitive half marathon this year. Money will go three-deep and be split $1500, $1000, and $500. The first master will be awarded $500. Elite entrants are listed below.



Open Men

Jeremy Freed (24, Broomfield) – Competed for Colorado State University, graduating in 2010. He is now sponsored by Newton Running and a member of Team Alchemy. He won the 2011 BolderBoulder 10K citizen’s race in 30:28, one second faster than American half marathon record holder Ryan Hall ran in the professional race. Freed was also runner-up at the Teva Mountain Games 10K and at the Pearl Street Mile.

Matt Levassiur (30, Alamosa) – 10th at the 2011 Classic 10K in 31:22, 2^nd at the 2011 Four on the Fourth 10K, winner of the 2011 Superior Downhill Mile, 3^rd at the 2011 Vail Pass Half Marathon. Levassiur has competed at the national level around the country since graduating as a several time All-American from Adams State College. He is now sponsored by Boulder Running Company / adidas.

Tyler McCandless (24, Boulder) - Penn State alum currently sponsored by Mizuno. Tyler finished 11th at the Grandma's Marathon in 2:17 and sixth at the 2010 Cal International Marathon in 2:17. He has competed on the roads around the US for the past year, racing a number of US Championship events. He is currently co-owner and coach of Hudson Training Systems, LLC and also coaches locally at the high school level.

Kenyon Neuman (24, Boulder) – Competed for the University of Colorado, graduating in 2010. At CU, he helped the Buffs to win their first Big 12 track championship, earned multiple All-American and Big 12 awards, and ran as fast as 13:41 for 5000M and 29:25 for 10000M. He recently won the Pearl Street Mile in 4:15. He is now sponsored by Newton Running and a member of Team Alchemy while training for an Olympic trials marathon qualifying attempt.

Pat Rizzo (28, Boulder) – Winner of the USATF Colorado 10K state championship in 29:59. Rizzo has run as fast as 2:15 for the marathon, 1:05 for the half marathon, and 29:51 for 10K. He will represent the US at the Pan-Am Games in Mexico in October. A graduate of North Central College in Illinois, he is now sponsored by Mizuno.

Master’s Men

James Johnson (42, Boulder) - Competed collegiately for the University of Northern Colorado and is now a member of the Fleet Feet Boulder team and one of the top master's runners in the country. Johnson finished 4th at the master's race at the 2009 US Club Cross Country Championships, was a member of the winning master's team at the 2009 Boston Marathon, and finished 7th in the master's race at the 2011 US Cross Country Championships. He ran 16:30 to finish as the first master at the Stadium Stampede 5K, which was the USATF Colorado State 5K Championship, and was second master at the USATF Colorado 10K championships in 32:29.

Open Women

Christie Foster (23, Colorado Springs) – Competed at Mercyhurst College and was the school’s first cross country All-American. Personal bests of 17:04 for 5K and 1:19:45 for half marathon. Training towards an Olympic marathon trials qualifying attempt.

Brianne Nelson (30, Fort Collins) – Mother of two young girls. Competed collegiately for Fort Lewis College in Durango where was an All-American and earned RMAC accolades. She won the Horsetooth Half Marathon and the Sunrise Stampede 10K and is training towards an Olympic marathon trials qualifying attempt.

Michele Suszek (29, Lyons) - A former professional bodybuilder, Suszek competed in the 2008 Olympic marathon trials in 2008 and will do so again this January in Houston. Won the 2009 Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle Marathon in a personal best time of 2:38:37. In September 2011, she will compete in Albania at the World Mountain Running Championships as part of the US team. Sponsored by Saucony.

Heather Utrata (29, Englewood) – Winner of the 2011 Georgetown-to-Idaho Springs half marathon in 1:21. Winner of both the 2009 and 2010 Colfax Marathons. Runner-up at the 2010 Rock ‘n’ Roll Denver Marathon. Sponsored by Runner’s Roost.

Master’s Women

Mary Alico (48, Boulder) - Three-time Olympic trials qualifer in the marathon and member of the 1997 World Championship team. Holds a marathon PR of 2:32:42 and was ranked as high as 7th nationally in 1996. She now competes on behalf of Fleet Feet Boulder and was the first master at the 2011 BolderBoulder 10K (39:39), the Longmont Sunrise Stampede 10K (39:02), the Stadium Stampede 5K (19:14), and the Evergreen 10K (38:10). The last of those two races were the USATF Colorado 5K and 10K championships, where Alico won a combined $500.

Online registration remains open until Friday at 11:00 AM. The Heart & Sole half marathon has a full list of sponsors with support going to the Orphans of AIDS Trust Foundation and the EXPAND Program. More on these charities can be found here.

Separate from the USATF Colorado championship, the Heart & Sole half marathon is of course open to everyone. The race is a huge community event - last year's race had 702 finishers in the half marathon and 450 in the accompanying 10K.

Runners competing in the USATF Colorado half marathon state championship must be USATF Colorado members prior to beginning the race, and must be US citizens. A USATF Colorado membership can be purchased here. Following this race, the September 5th Boulder Marathon and the September 18th Lead King Loop 25K will be the final USATF Colorado state championships for 2011.