The fifth annual Bear Chase Trail Race kicked off Saturday morning with the 100K, 50 Mile and 50K events. The day saw above average temperatures with zero clouds in the sky, leading to a hot and tough day out on the course for the hundreds of ultrarunners looping around Bear Creek Lake Park. The rough conditions, however, didn’t stop ultrarunning phenom Kaci Lickteig from dominating the 100K race. Lickteig, who won the 2013 Bear Chase 50M outright, did it again this year in finishing first among the 100K runners in an incredible time of 8:40:50.
The men’s 100K race saw 45-year old Adrian Stanciu take top honors in 9:58:08. Second place finish Shawn Saint of Lafayette crossed the line in 10:39:08, and 25-year old Benjamin Dickason rounded out the top three in 11:48:26.
As previously mentioned, 27-year old Kaci Lickteig of Dannebrog, NE finished first in the 100K race in 8:40:50. The second place female was 32-year old Joanne Begg of Denver in 11:31:54 (also good for fourth place overall). 27-year old Monica Obsitos finished up third in 12:08:34.
The men’s 50M event saw a close finish between the first and second place finishers. Patrick Stewart of Denver picked up the pace late in the race to take first in 17:16:22. 28-year old Scott Kretzmann of Thornton finished second in 7:18:45. Rounding out the podium was 45-year old Mike Teger in 8:07:37.
In the women’s 50M, 29-year old Courtney Dauwalter picked up the win as well as third place overall in 8:06:38. Shannon-Leigh Litt was second in 8:23:44, and Rachel Ragona of Westchester, CA came in third in 8:59:37.
The men’s 50K winner smoked the field in 3:21:14. 26-year old Benjamin Zywicki of Louisville took top honors on Saturday with Golden’s Joel Hamilton coming in second in 3:42:42. Third place belonged to 25-year old Andrew Belus in 4:03:55.
The women’s 50K saw first and second place finishers Beth Kohring and Amy Gordon finish just a couple minutes apart. 29-year old Kohring took the win in 4:30:16, and Albuquerque’s Gordon finished second in 4:32:23. Denver’s Amy O’Connell rounded out the podium in third in 4:37:07.
The final two events of the Bear Chase Trail Race were held on Sunday, a cooler but still sunny day at Bear Creek Lake Park.
The men’s half marathon was won my 27-year old Brian Folts in a speedy 1:21:19. Second place finisher Clint Boston crossed the line in 1:30:09, and 50-year old Robert Herz grabbed third in 1:33:20.
The women’s half marathon top finishers put up a great showing, with first place finisher Ellie Peterson of Windsor coming in third overall in 1:31:46. Second place female finisher and fourth place finisher overall was Monica Folts in 1:32:35. Rounding out the top three was Holly Kelleher of Highlands Ranch in 1:34:24.
Finally, in the men’s 10K, 27-year old Andrew Simmons crossed the line first in 38:42. 22-year old Taylor Bodin of Estes Park took second in 39:22, with Arvada’s Jeff Cummings finishing third in 42:38.
The women’s race was won by none other than 2013 reigning Bear Chase 10K champ, 12-year old Anna Shults in 42:53. Second place belonged to Anna Jarman in 43:05, and rounding out the third slot was 23-year old Dawn Bodin in 47:09.