Ethiopia again sweeps International Team Challenge; Hastings (4th), Carney (5th) top Americans; Team USA second (women) and third (men); race record 54,554 entrants as well as millionth finisher at 33rd edition

By Mike Sandrock, Running USA wire

After going out too fast in last year’s Dick’s Sporting Goods BolderBOULDER 10K and leading her unsuspecting teammates into early oxygen debt and a third-place team finish, Renee Metivier-Baillie vowed to run smarter this year. That she and her teammates, Amy Hastings and Magdalena Lewy Boulet, did on this cloudy Memorial Day, placing second in the 2011 International Team Challenge.

The American women scored 19 points, coming just two points shy of upsetting powerhouse Ethiopia for the team title. Kenya, led by race champion Lineth Chepkurui in 32:30, was third with 26. Team Colorado, comprising Adriana Pirtea, Colleen De Reuck and Zoila Gomez, was also in the money in fifth place.

Ethiopia swept the men’s and women’s International Team Challenge titles for the third straight year, with the professional runners starting after a race record number of Bolder citizen entrants of 54,554 (with 49,271 finishers) on a new course.

In the first course change since 1981, the starting line was moved closer to the Folsom Field finish on the University of Colorado campus, to make for better loading and unloading of the runners and walkers comprising the 92 “waves” or starting groups.

“It worked out great,” said race founder Steve Bosley. His son, race director Cliff, pointed out that the start of the professional women’s race was delayed 16 minutes, because of the large number of people wanting to register Monday morning.

What also worked great was the teamwork displayed by the U.S. runners.

Boulder’s James Carney and teammates Ryan Hall and Aaron Braun placed 5-7-12 to place third behind Ethiopia who edged Kenya by one point, 12 to 13. Team Colorado (Jason Hartmann, Fernando Cabada and Brian Medigovich) also earned prize money, placing fourth.

Ethiopian 10,000 meter specialists Belete Assefa and Solomon Gonfa went 1-2, followed by Kenyans Allan Kiprono, who trains in Boulder under Dieter Hogan, and MacDonald Ondara. The winning time of 29 minutes, 23 seconds was not especially fast, but the BolderBOULDER is all about competition for the professional runners, said Ethiopian Hussen Adelo.

“When we race against Kenya, it is a fight!” he exclaimed through a translator, making boxing motions with his fists.

Local favorite Carney runs well at the BolderBOULDER. On Monday, he ran with Hall until 3½ miles, where the course climbs west towards the mountains before turning south and cresting at 4 miles. That is where Carney then caught Braun, and he picked off the faster starters on his way to his fifth-place finish (30:17), good for $1600 as well as his share of $17,500 team prize. Both totals include U.S. Olympic training funds.

“You line ‘em up, and I’ll knock ‘em down,” a happy Carney said, after standing with the other elites and the capacity crowd inside the football stadium. Everyone looked up as two F-14 fighter jets flew over, and grew silent during the moving playing of taps and singing of the national anthem, all part of what has become the largest Memorial Day gathering in the nation.

The most visible of the runners pre-race was 2008 Olympian Hall, coming off his epic Boston Marathon run just six weeks ago.

“I was pleased with my race,” Hall said. “I just wanted to enjoy the ride, coming off my 2:04. This is icing on the cake; the crowd was amazing, like the Olympics.”

The rivalry between Kenya and Ethiopia was reminiscent of the Olympics as well. This was the fifth consecutive Ethiopia win in the men’s race, but as close as it could be after last year’s 1-2-3 Ethiopia sweep that left the Kenyans privately fuming.

The third Kenyan in on Monday, Lani Rutto in sixth, finished ahead of Adelo, the third Ethiopian scorer. However, Adelo, a 2:09 marathoner, won it for his team in the most exciting sprint of the day, outkicking Constantino Leon Lopez of Peru at the 40-yard line by less than a tick of the clock for 9th place. That was enough to keep the Ethiopian streak going.

Perhaps it was the new start of the race, which is slightly uphill – the traditional course had a slight downhill – but this year, the packs stayed together longer, making for exciting team races on both the men’s and women’s sides.

“I was hurting once again,” said Metivier-Baillie, who showed true grit by running on a gimpy leg she injured during the club cross country championships in December. She has run just two races since then, and had only two months of full training leading into the BolderBOULDER.

Metivier-Baillie held her teammates back in the early going, unlike last year’s fast opening.

“It is a magical moment working together as a team,” added Metivier-Baillie. “We were second this time; next year, we will go for the win.”

Hastings, whose 2:27:03 at the Honda LA Marathon last March is the 8th fastest U.S. women’s time ever, placed fourth in 34:20. The Mammoth Track Club athlete said that with her focus on the 2012 Olympics, she does not know if the same Team USA will be back for a third Bolder next year, but she would like to return.

“The team aspect is so exciting,” she said. “It is so much more fun, and the crowd at the finish was amazing. Like the Olympics.”

Then Hastings paused. “Well, what I imagine the Olympics sound like. I have not been there … yet.”

At the 33rd edition, fittingly, a veteran, Mieszka Laczek-Johnson, age 34 of Denver, became the race’s one millionth finisher (the 20,801st finisher overall); she ran the 6.2 mile course in 58:43.

Results

33rd Dick’s Sporting Goods BolderBOULDER 10K: 14th International Team Challenge
Boulder, CO, Monday, May 30, 2011

MEN
1) Belete Assefa (ETH), 29:23, $3750
2) Solomon Gonfa (ETH), 29:28, $2750
3) Allan Kiprono (KEN), 29:36, $2000
4) MacDonard Ondara (KEN), 29:48, $1250
5) James Carney (USA, Boulder), 30:17, $1600*
6) Lani Rutto (KEN), 30:24, $700
7) Ryan Hall (USA), 30:30, $1200*
8) Jason Hartmann (Team CO, Boulder), 30:40, $1000*
9) Hussen Adelo (ETH), 30:45, $400
10) Constantino Leon Lopez (PER), 30:46, $300
11) Hicham Bellani (MAR), 30:49
12) Aaron Braun (USA), 30:52
13) Fernando Cabada (Team CO, Boulder), 30:55
14) Paulino Canchanya Canchanya (PER), 30:57
15) Brian Medigovich (Team CO), 31:03
16) Abdellah Falil (MAR), 31:04
17) Julio Cesar Perez (MEX), 31:14
18) Jose Carlos Roxon (GUA), 31:27
19) Alfredo Arevalo (GUA), 31:30
20) Jeremias Solol (GUA), 31:44
21) Said Diaz Ceron (MEX), 31:50
22) Jaime Caldua Palma (PER), 31:59
23) Mohamed Fadil (MAR), 32:27
24) Neilson Hall (GBR), 32:36
25) Jon Peppers (GBR), 32:37
26) Jonathon Morales (MEX), 32:58
27) Matt Janes (GBR), 34:58

MEN’S TEAM
1) Ethiopia, 12 points, $15,000
2) Kenya, 13, $10,000
3) Team USA, 24, $17,500*
4) Team Colorado, 36, $13,500*
5) Peru, 46, $4000
6) Morocco, 50
7) Guatemala, 57
8) Mexico, 64
9) GBR, 76
*includes U.S. Olympic training funds

WOMEN
1) Lineth Chepkurui (KEN), 32:30, $4750
2) Mamitu Daska (ETH), 32:35, $3500
3) Meseret Mengistubiru (ETH), 34:06, $1500
4) Amy Hastings (USA), 34:20, $2250*
5) Claire Hallisey (GBR), 34:48, $800
6) Renee Metivier-Baillie (USA, Boulder), 34:54, $1400*
7) Jelliah Tinega (KEN), 35:04, $600
8) Adriana Pirtea (Team CO), 35:09, $1000*
9) Magdalena Lewy Boulet (USA), 35:10, $800*
10) Yuri Kano (JPN), 35:17, $300
11) Yuko Watanabe (JPN), 35:20
12) Tigish Tufa (ETH), 35:56
13) Bertha Sanchez (COL), 36:28
14) Marta Ronceria (COL), 36:35
15) Colleen De Reuck (Team CO, Boulder), 36:39
16) Zoila Gomez (Team CO), 36:45
17) Yumi Hirata (JPN), 36:53
18) Risper Gesabwa (KEN), 36:59
19) Leidy Tobon (COL), 37:20
20) Sarah Tunstall (GBR), 37:44
21) Angelica Sanchez (MEX), 37:54
22) Fabiola Fernandez (MEX), 37:56
23) Iracema Parra (MEX), 38:31
24) Mary Wilkinson (GBR), 39:23

TEAM
1) Ethiopia, 17 points, $15,000
2) Team USA, 19, $27,500*
3) Kenya, 26, $7000
4) Japan, 38, $6000
5) Team Colorado, 39, $8000*
6) Colombia, 46
7) GBR, 49
8) Mexico, 66
*includes U.S. Olympic training funds

Complete results and more at: www.bolderboulder.com

Fiona Docherty and Jason Hartman each controlled Saturday’s Fast and Flurry-ous 4-miler cross country race Saturday at Harlow Platts Park in South Boulder.

The Fast and Flurry-ous was originally put together a few years back to give local runners the opportunity to race hard in order to tune their efforts before going off to the USATF Cross Country Nationals in February each year.

The field is often stacked with local talent who train in Boulder. This year’s fields were a little shallower, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t some serious racing going on.

The women’s race kicked off at 9am and control was taken immediately by Fiona Docherty who pushed the pace out front virtually the entire race. She finished the 3 loop 4mile course in 24:21

Jason Hartman, who clocked a 2:11 marathon at Chicago in October, controlled the race from the start but was closely trailed by a lead pack containing Michael Chaves, Patric Rizzo, Tyler McCandless, Joshua Merrick, Ewen North and many others.

Hartman crossed the line in 21:05

More photos

Results

1.     284     Fiona Docherty     Boulder CO      35      24:21      5:57      35 to 39      1st
2.     266     Kathy Butler     Nederland CO     37     26:45     6:32     35 to 39     2nd
3.     367     Martha Tenorio     Boulder CO     43     26:59     6:35     40 to 44     1st
4.     326     Samantha Lewis     Boulder CO     16     28:10     6:53     15 to 19     1st
5.     275     Jen Collins     Boulder CO     29     28:19     6:55     25 to 29     1st
6.     297     Lauren Gregory     Windsor CO     11     28:47     7:02     14 & under     1st
7.     333     Bethanie Merrick     Alamosa CO     29     28:50     7:02     25 to 29     2nd
8.     314     Kristi Jordan     Longmont CO     47     28:59     7:04     45 to 49     1st
9.     282     Lydia Dissly     Boulder CO     43     29:24     7:11     40 to 44     2nd
10. 315     Karen Kantor     Morrison CO     40     29:44     7:15     40 to 44     3rd
11. 389     Megan Hebbe     Portland OR     27     30:51     7:32     25 to 29     3rd
12. 368     Jeana Thayer     Denver CO     26     31:00     7:34     25 to 29     4th
13. 280     Glenys De Wet     Westminster CO     28     31:29     7:41     25 to 29     5th
14. 390        Lori Cooper     Boulder CO     35     31:42     7:44     35 to 39     3rd
15. 268     Michelle Carpenter     Boulder CO     33     32:06     7:50     30 to 34     1st

Full Women’s Results »

1.     302      Jason Hartmann      Boulder CO      29      21:05      5:09      25 to 29      1st
2.     350     Patrick Rizzo     Boulder CO     27     21:10     5:10     25 to 29     2nd
3.     271     Michael Chavez     Fort Collins CO         21:18     5:12
4.     332     Tyler McCandless     Boulder CO     24     21:32     5:16     20 to 24     1st
5.     334     Joshua Merrick     Alamosa CO     29     21:39     5:17     25 to 29     3rd
6.     310     Patrick Hunt     Boulder CO     32     21:54     5:21     30 to 34     1st
7.     349     Adam Rich     Colorado Springs CO         22:02     5:23
8.     338     Japheth Ngojoy     Greeley CO     23     22:09     5:25     20 to 24     2nd
9.     348     Bobby Reyes     Longmont CO     26     22:10     5:25     25 to 29     4th
10. 356     Levi Severson     Boulder CO     30     22:39     5:32     30 to 34     2nd
11. 342     Ewen North     Louisville CO     32     22:41     5:32     30 to 34     3rd
12. 347     Ramin Razavi     Boulder CO     32     22:42     5:33     30 to 34     4th
13. 312     James Johnson     Boulder CO     42     22:58     5:36     40 to 44     1st
14. 371     John Tribbia     Boulder CO     28     22:59     5:37     25 to 29     5th
15. 323     Rob Kosick     Denver CO     32     23:12     5:40     30 to 34     5th

Full Men’s Results »

Macias, Pirtea win half-marathon, Semisonic rocks Civic Center Park

DENVER, CO – October, 17, 2010 – With cool temperatures and sunny skies, the first Rock ‘n’ Roll Denver Marathon & 1/2 Marathon crowned two past Rock ‘n’ Roll champions in the men’s and women’s marathons. Mike Aish won the men’s marathon on Sunday morning, completing the 26.2-mile course in 2 hours, 30 minutes, 37 seconds.

2010 Start of the Inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Denver Marathon and Half Marathon

The 34-year-old Arvada, Colo. resident previously won the 2008 P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon. A New Zealand Olympian who recently gained U.S. citizenship, Aish separated from the field just after mile 11 and finished well ahead of runner-up Miguel Angel Cazares of Denver. Although his time was not exceptional, 17 minutes off his Arizona victory, Aish’s attitude was perfect for running the second half of the race all by himself.

Aish

Barlow

“I stopped at a few of the water stations and slapped fives with the cheerleaders, just was trying to have a good time and the fans really made it all worthwhile,” said Aish, a 12-time Division II champion over 5,000 and 10,000 meters and cross country at Western State in Colorado. “This has been a big transition year for me and I’ve only really been training hard for a few weeks. I want to have a good shot at the U.S. Olympic Marathon trials in 2012 and today was a good step in the right direction. Hopefully there is a lot more to come.”

Australian Karen Barlow won the women’s race in 2:54:56, beating out Heather Utrata of Englewood, Colo. by a little over a minute. Barlow, who has been training in Boulder for the last month, dropped out of the Chicago Marathon last weekend and overcame emotional adversity to arrive at the Denver start line.

“Chicago was my goal race for the year. Unfortunately it was hot and humid and I had been training in the dry and cold, so I pulled out after suffering through 14 miles,” said Barlow, who won February’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras Marathon. “On Wednesday I rang Matt Turnbull and said I’m just up the road and I want to end the year on a positive note after putting in all this training. Goal one was just to finish, goal two was to have fun and goal three was to win if I had a chance. This just feels phenomenal and I had so much fun today. I ‘chicked’ a helluva lot of guys out there on the course.”

First across the finish line outside Civic Center Park, was men’s half-marathon winner Mario Macias of Alamosa, Colo. The 29-year-old won the 13.1-mile race in 1, hour, 5 minutes and 22 seconds.

The pace of the half-marathon was set early by 29-year-old Macias, along with University of Oregon All-American Shadrack Biwott and Australia’s Andrew Letherby, who won the Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle Half Marathon in June and won the Boulder Marathon 2 weeks ago in 02:33:07. Biwott and Macias jockeyed for position from miles five through nine, hitting the mile-10 split in 49 minutes. Biwott, who dropped out of the Chicago Marathon last weekend, couldn’t maintain the pace and Macias pushed ahead for the lead.

“The goal for me was to go after the State record, which is 64:52. The weather today was great just a bit cold at first,” said Macias. “With 9 miles to go I figured I could push it. I’ve been training at altitude and coming down from 7,500 feet was a big difference, I could feel it. I think going out with consecutive sub-5:00 miles cost me a little time at the end.” Macias also won the Boulder 1/2 Marathon 2 weeks ago where he ran a solo effort in 01:07:39.

Boulder resident Adriana Pirtea, of Romania, won the women’s half-marathon in 1:16:03.

The Bachelorette's Ryan Sutter

The Bachelorette’s Ryan Sutter joined 30 runners from Team First Descents, which included a Vail firefighter relay team, to complete the half-marathon in 1:33:14. Sutter is in the midst of a 10.10.10 challenge, to benefit First Descents, a non-profit organization that provides free outdoor adventure therapy for young adults with cancer.

“It really flew by, there is something around every corner. There are people the whole way cheering you on, it was a great race,” said Sutter, who will conclude his challenge at the ING New York City Marathon next month. “Being in Denver was pretty cool actually. It’s a great way to see the city; you are cruising through all the cool parts of downtown. The course is really great, a little something of everything with no major hills up or down. I just tried to get in a rhythm and enjoy the whole thing.”

The first ever Rock ‘n’ Roll Denver Marathon & 1/2 Marathon welcomed more than 15,000 entrants from all 50 states and 18 counties. The event featured a post race concert headlined by Semisonic, known for their 1995 hit ‘Closing Time’. The weekend’s schedule of events also included over 250 ING Rock ‘n’ Roll relay teams and more than 650 runners in the Kids Rock presented by McDonalds, a non-competitive, non-timed one-mile fun run for kids grades K-5. The second annual Rock ‘n’ Roll Denver Marathon is set for Sunday, October 16, 2011.

2010 Rock ‘n’ Roll Denver & ½ Results

Place, Name, Age, Country, Time, Money

Half-Marathon Men
1. Mario Macias, 29, Alamosa, CO, 1:05:23, $1,500
2. Shadrak Biwott, 25, Kenya, 1:06:27, $1,000
3. Andrew Letherby, 37, Australia, 1:07:48, $750

Half-Marathon Women
1. Adriana Pirtea, 30, Romania, 1:16:03, $1,500
2. Amanda Scott, 22, Boulder, CO, 1:23:58, $1,000
3. Nuta Olaru, 40, Romania, 1:24:45, $750

Marathon Men
1. Mike Aish, 34, Arvada, CO, 2:30:37, $1,500
2. Miguel Angel Cazares, 23, Denver, CO, 2:42:17, $1,000
3. Matthew Gallager, 31, Denver, CO, 2:42:25, $750

Marathon Women
1. Karen Barlow, 31, Australia, 2:54:56, $1,500
2. Heather Utrata, 28, Englewood, CO, 2:56:06, $1,000
3. Nicole Chyr, 32, Englewood, CO, 2:57:59, $750

For more information and complete results, please visit Competitor.com.

P.S. I plan on posting my day’s recap and photos shortly

The 2 big races in our area this weekend were:

Twin Peaks Rotary Cross Country Challenge part of the Fall Cross Series held in Longmont Saturday Nov. 7th, 2009

Just over 50 men and 30 women took the challenge:

Men’s results »

Women’s results »

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RMRR Trophy Series

The Trophy Series is a monthly race series featuring a handicap scoring and starting system. Each race in the series is in a different location in the Denver Metro area, and the distances vary from 2 to 10 miles.

RMRR Westminster City Park 9mi Results »

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Just over 40 runners participated in World Run Day from Colorado on Sunday November 8th, 2009 running 184 miles and donated over $18,000 to their favorite charities.

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For more regional race results check out the Denver Trail Running Examiner