In the open race, CU alum Dathan Ritzenhein is the heavy favorite for the win. His closest competition will come from 2:12 marathoner Nick Arciniaga, Chico State alum Scotty Bauhs, all-everything Max King, Team Minnesota’s Matt Gabrielson and Pat Smyth, Oklahoma State alums David Jankowski and Ryan Vail, and 2010 US Half Marathon Champion Antonio Vega. CU alum and current Oregon Track Club member Billy Nelson will be competitive. While Nelson was an 08 Olympian in the steeplechase, I doubt he has the speed to make the US team for Worlds here.
As for the locals, Jason Delaney (Golden), Josh Eberly (Gunnison), and Tommy Neal (CoS) will represent the Boulder Running Company team. Delaney was an 08 Olympic trials marathoner, as was former Hanson team member Eberly. Neal races competitively on the national scene in races under the marathon distance. Levi Severson (Boulder) will race for the USAF team. Severson went 2:32 at last year’s Marine Corps Marathon. Perhaps the fastest of the Colorado residents competing is Superior’s Josh Glaab of Team Strands. Josh was recently 2nd at the Fast & Flurry-ous 4M in Boulder.
On the women’s side, Shalane Flanagan, who FWIW was born in Boulder is the big favorite with Team Minnesota’s Emily Brown, Mrs. Ryan Hall, Olympic marathoner Magdalena Levy Boulet, Katie McGregor, and Blake Russell are all top 10 contenders.
Renee Metivier Baillie (Boulder) will return to action following her 1:12 half marathon debut at Houston last month. She should contend for a spot on the US team that will go to Worlds. Tera Moody (CoS), who ran 1:13 at the Houston half, will race with BRC teammates Lavenna Mullenbach (CoS) and Shannon Payne (CoS). Mullenbach qualified for the Olympic trials marathon at least year’s Twin Cities Marathon and Payne was a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference star at UCCS. Lori Walker (Henderson), who recently raced to a top 10 finish in the PHX RnR Half, will step up to race with the big guns on the national scene.
In the junior race, 2009 Colorado HS 5A state XC champion Walter Schafer, still at Cherry Creek High School, will race the collegiates, including 2009 Wheat Ridge grad Dart Swaderer, now at the University of Wisconsin. The lone Colorado representative for the junior women appears to be CU freshman Laura Tremblay. Tremblay was a state champion at Thompson Valley High School in Loveland.
On the masters side, we’ll have a new champion it appears. Simon Gutierrez of Alamosa won last year, but is not on the current start list. Darren DeReuck (Boulder) will take his 1:12 half fitness from Houston to the grass and lead a Running Republic of Boulder team that also includes Rick Bruess (Boulder). Bruess was top grand master at the Denver Half Marathon. Andy Ames (Boulder) will represent the Fleet Feet Boulder men and will contend for an age group win (45-49).
On the women’s side we have a showdown of Boulder teams. Fleet Feet Boulder will be led by US Club XC Champion Laura Haefeli (Del Norte) and will race with former US Mountain Running Team member Lisa Goldsmith (Ned) and Jennifer Cubillas. They’ll have their hands full with the Running Republic of Boulder team led by former Olympian Colleen DeReuck (Boulder) and backed up by Lydia Dissly (Boulder) and former US Mountain Running team member Laura Bruess (Boulder). Colleen and Laura H will likely go 1-2 in the race, so it'll fall to the 2nd and 3rd runners to settle the team score.
In the upper age groups, the Boulder Road Runners will dominate. Some age groups actually contain nothing but BRR members at this point. In the 60-64 division, Rich Castro, Bob Cooper, Jeff Dumas, Charles Lowrie, Stuart Purnell, and Rich Valent will race. For the 65-69 year olds, it’s BRR’s Tony Lemire, Roger Wittner, Bruce Zimmerman, Gail Hunter, Joyce Lemire, and Betty Valent. 70-74 includes Lois Calhoun, Vici DeHaan, and Judith Smyth. Finally, the 80-84 division includes William Smythe, Bill Turley, and Ken Wright.
In Westminster, the Colorado Masters 13-race series returns with the Forty Furlongs 5M. Last year’s race was won by Charles Hillig. Hillig was new to the scene at this point last year, but has emerged as one of the metro area’s fastest guys, racing sub 16 a few times at Wash Park, placing highly at the US Club XC Champs last year in Kentucky, racing indoors at CO School of Mines, and taking 4th recently at the Fast & Flurry-ous 4M in Boulder. If he shows up again this year, the win will be his for the taking and the rest of us won’t be surprised when he pops a 5:00 opening mile. He took a free pair of shoes from Road Runner Sports for the win last year, but I’m not sure if those prizes will be in place this year or not given the course change from the Church Ranch complex to the Westminster City Park.
The Moab Red Hot 50K+ will feature some of the fastest ultra guys in the region. Check out Nick Clark’s predictions for the field.
On Saturday, Fleet Feet Boulder is hosting a few dermatologists who will perform FREE skin cancer checks from 2:00 to 3:30 PM. Definitely a worthwhile service.
In Fort Collins on Saturday is the Nine70 5K at CSU. The 5K will raise money to allow young people to take part in an alternative spring break with the Beach Reach Ministry. I’m guessing there is no beer tent post-race here, but there is prize money - $100, $75, and $50 down the line for both male and female. Makes me almost want to drive to FoCo.
In Parker, you can embrace the holiday or run from it with the Love ‘em or Leave ‘em Valentine’s Day 5K. Either way, you get a post-race pancake breakfast. For those not racing here that want some pancakes though, IHOP currently has the all-you-can-eat pancake special going on.
Down south in CoS, the PPRR is hosting the Winter Series #3 race with a 5M and 10M option. All of these races bring out a large field and some decent competition.
Loveland hosts the Sweetheart Classic 4M and with a ton of sponsors on the brochure, I suspect there will be some decent prizes and giveaways.
Check out the RunColo Colorado Race Calendar for contact info on all local race options.
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