Jordan Chavez rounded the corner 30 meters from the finish and quickly went horizontal, losing his footing and going for a tumble on the icy corner.
Fortunately for him, the Miles for the Marrs race had few turns and he easily outpaced a star-studded field of runners.
In addition to a strong community showing, it was a veritable who’s who list of Glenwood running stars, past and present, that showed up for the Saturday 5K to benefit the Marr family.
Chavez, a freshman at the University of Richmond and grandson of legendary Glenwood coach Bob Chavez, found sure enough footing to outpace a number of former Glenwood running standouts, including second-place finisher Marco Salmen. Glenwood Springs High School junior Wyatt Till trailed close behind, legs bare below his shorts, for third place.
The women’s field was bested by Sarah Treese, a Glenwood graduate who now runs for the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. Diana Banks, a Glenwood senior, followed in second, while Glenwood High teacher Brit Deford came in third.
Performance was a secondary goal for the majority of runners who showed up on a sunny, cold morning. The primary goal was to offer support for the Marr family, who have endured through challenges following a November car accident.
Paula Marr, a longtime employee for the school district, was killed in the accident while Vinny, a senior at Glenwood and an accomplished runner, was seriously injured.
Paula’s husband, Scott, a teacher at Glenwood Elementary and an accomplished athlete, was there on Saturday and ran an impressive 20 minutes, 50 seconds for seventh place. Even more remarkable was the presence of Vinny, who, clad in a neck brace, deftly maneuvered around the event on a single crutch.
Read more: Bringing warmth to a cold December day by Mike Schneiter | Glenwood Post Independent