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Unclaimed awards can be picked up at the Colorado Running Company in Colorado Springs (833 N. Tejon, 719-635-3833).

Hi all (yawn),

The phone rang in the newspaper office at 12:17 a.m. Saturday morning. It was Dave from the sports desk. He said Editor "Fern, evidently I ate a bad GU on my 1.7 mile run yesterday and I have a very upset stomach. You will need to send someone else to cover the Greenland Trail Races this morning. Oh, I better tell you that I volunteered to help set up, so which ever reporter you send needs to be there at 5:45 a.m. The trail races are located 10 miles south of Castle Rock at the Greenland Open Space trails. The area where the races are to be held received 3-4 feet of snow last weekend. The race directors are Derek and Jessica Griffiths and mascot Lucy, the publishers of Colorado Runner Magazine. They have been putting daily race updates, on the condition of the course, on their website since Wednesday. Be sure and have the person you send read them before they go."

I went on the Colorado Runner website and found pictures of the course and a description that said the course is 50% dry, 25% mud and 25% snow. I decided I better cover this story myself. I spent the rest of the night (make that early morning) loading up the car with warm clothes, a change of socks, shoes, pants, etc. I never did get back to sleep.

I left in the newspaper van at 4:45. When I arrived at the trailhead, the night was pitch black, the weather was very cold and a fog was settling in. But, race directors Derek, Jessica and Lucy were already there setting up. Cars of volunteers started to arrive. The start/finish was 1/4 of a mile down the trail and vehicles were not allowed so we had to make trip after trip carrying all the stuff.

The race could not have a press truck in front of the lead runners like they do at the BolderBOULDER. I had to make a decision. How would I cover this race for our subscribers??? I could either walk the 7.5 loop with slippery mud and bumpy snow and possibly give LIndy, my pt, a migraine or pretend that I had walked the race and make up a story about what happened. Our subscribers deserve the true story as it was happening so I used the newspaper credit card and entered the race. Since I was just walking, I carried my cell phone and race director Derek gave me the number of the Larkspur rescue squad in case I saw anyone who needed help. Depending which race you entered, you circled the 7.5 mile loop one, two, three or four times.

Each race started exactly on time. I found the course exactly as described on the website. There were some really muddy places that became more muddy as the sun came out and melted the snow. Two all terrain vehicles had been on the course and made tire tracks through some big snow drifts. Runners then had to traverse on these tire tracks. When I came to really bad places, I stepped off to the side and walked on the weeds. I observed that the true hard nosed trail runners run right through those deep mud puddles and snow drifts without a second thought.

First I was passed by Runner Bill Farrett. He became Dr. Bill for a few seconds and asked me how my new orthotic was doing. By the time I said fine, he had zipped on up the trail looking good. I got passed by Heather Hunt who was going fast and looking serious. You will see how that paid off for her when you read the results. Here came Runner Bridget. The first thing she said to me is I can't wait to hear how you will report on all this snow and mud and off she went. Along came 50K Runner Justine. She was running with another lady and they were just chatting away while on their second loop. Justine looked just like she always looked when running those long runs on the Highline, just easy and comfortable.

I think this race was a winner for people who enjoy running trails. Derek and Jessica, who by the way are a delightful young couple, did a fine job organizing this race. The course was well marked. Not to much food at the end but I don't think this would bother the true trail runners. The only suggestion I would have is to give awards deeper in the age groups. Only the first place winner received an award. I especially liked the feature of updating all the runners on the condition of the course before the race.

But the big question mark for this race is, "where were the boxes of kleenex donated by this newspaper???" (Race Director's NOte: THe kleenex was in the porta johns because the company dropped off porta johns with only one rool in each one!)

THIS WEEKS RACES

Greenland Trail Run, Douglas County
50K

1. Bill Farrett and Justine Miani I will have the results for Bill and Justine in the Monday edition.

25K
The 25K race was designated as the 2005 Colorado USATF Trail Championships. Heather Hunt was the overall female winner with a time of 1:53. She received a beautiful medal from the USATF for her win. Bridget Mackinnon was second overall female with a 2:11 so she also won a beautiful medal from the USATF. Attached to the newspaper is a picture of the two of them after they received their awards (see above). The picture was taken by photographer Fern with the newspapers new little digital camera that is so small, one can carry it in their pocket during a race.

1. Julie Lind 2:18:07 First in age group
2. Bridget Mackinnon 2:11 First in age group
3. Heather Hunt 1:53 Overall female winner

12.5K
1. Connie Arhnsbrak 1:21:50 First in age group
2. Walker Fern 2:16

Horsetooth Half Marathon, Ft. Collins
1. Shane Holonitch 1:54
Reporter/runner Shane called to say that she had great weather for a second consecutive year and was able to run in shorts and short sleeved t-shirt. Horsetooth has a history of great hills and crummy weather. Steve had to work today.

New Jersey Marathon, Long Branch, NJ
1. Dave Bell

LAST WEEKS RESULTS

More Marathon, Central Park NYC
1. Lora Hutchison 4:11:40

Glass City Marathon, Toledo, Ohio
1. Becky Keller 4:55:26

Colorado Masters Sand Creek 5 miler
3. Derek Griffiths 28:45
1. Rosalia Murch racewalker 1:03:12

WOMEN CHANGED A PART OF RUNNING HISTORY

Somebody invented the running shoe. Women wore a cotton t- shirt and shorts while running in this new kind of shoe. One day a woman said these shorts are not comfortable, they chafe my legs. Someone invented a running short made of lycra and polyester. Women said they are very comfortable but they do not have a pocket for our car key. Someone invented a running short with a little pocket for the car key. Women said we also need a pocket to carry our kleenex. Someone invented a short with a little car key pocket and one bigger pocket. Women said the kleenex keeps falling out of the pocket so please make it deeper. Someone invented a short with a little car key pocket, and one larger, deep pocket.

The car manufacturers started making the car keys larger so they would no longer fit in the little car key pocket. Women said we need a short without a small key pocket but now we want a large, deep side pocket on each side. Someone invented a short with a large, deep side pocket on each side and women kept their kleenex and car key on one side and their packets of gel on the other side.

Older women said we don't like wearing the 3-4" length shorts that the very young ladies wear. Somebody invented shorts of various lengths which pleased women of all ages.

Women said we need to carry identification when we run that we absolutely cannot lose. Can you make a short with a large, deep side pocket on each side plus a little front pocket with a zipper over the thigh area. Someone made this new short so that now all women could carry their kleenex, car key, gel and drivers license, King Soopers card and a $10.00 bill. Whew!

Women were so glad when the ultimate short was finally made that would hold everything. Each year women had purchased the latest upgrade and this had gotten to be quite expensive plus all women now had a closet of running short relics. Well, good news...hold on to those relics, they may become very valuable.

There is a womens group now trying to start a womens running short museum that would show the historical development of the running short. It will be located in Branson, Missouri right next to the Andy Williams theater.

You would have thought this would be the end of the story but it's not. One day I walked into REI and saw a pair of hiking shorts. These shorts had deep zippered pockets everywhere, they were comfortable and just the right length for me. I could literally carry all my household items plus the kitchen sink in this one pair of shorts. Goodbye running shorts, hello hiking shorts!!

Oh, the newspaper will be organizing a bus trip to Branson in the fall of 2005 to visit the museum. Please contact the newspaper travel agent for details.

RAFT TRIP ANYONE???

This invite comes to us from river rafter guide, Paul Vanderheiden:

I have a few spaces open on a Yampa River trip through Dinosaur National Monument from Wednesday May 25th through Sunday May 29th. All the details about the trip are posted here: http://www.runriverrun.com/River_Trips/Yampa/index.html. I'd love to share my other "running" passion with some of our running friends. This is not a commercial trip but a non- commercial one that I am organizing - it is cost sharing. If anyone is interested or they have questions after reading the website, they can write me.

BITS AND PIECES

1. Rachel Farrett is working several days a week at the Parker Rec Center. This also gives her the opportunity to work on her swimming as tri season is almost upon us.

2. Marci Grant reported that the family is leaving on a Florida vacation. We are going for a week and staying at a condo on the beach in Long Boat Key which is 90 miles south of Tampa near Siesta Key. We can't wait just to lounge around with our kids and sit in a warm climate for day after day. We are very sick of this snow and cold and think we are crazy to live at 6800 feet!

3. Food editor Fern sacrificed her body on behalf of our subscribers. If you recall, I recommended the Banquet Crock Pot beef stew dinner(found in the frozen food section) if you also added a can of peas or green beans to the mixture. I just tried the chicken and dumplings during our Sunday storm. I did not save the leftovers. The chicken and potatoes is also not very good so only stick to the beef stew dinner.

Since I am trying to help you take care of your running bodies...did you know that a Starbucks venti mocha coconut frappucino blended coffee with whipped cream has 710 calories and 26 grams of fat(19 of them saturated) To your heart, it's like drinking two McDonald's Quarter Pounders. Somehow I don't think if you asked for it without the whipped cream that it would be much healthier for you.

4. The newspaper building is going to have an entirely new look. It has always been green. The first week in May, the bricks are going to be painted gray, the wood will be pale lemon and the trim will be white. The newspaper parking lot will be filled with the painters trucks so if you happen to stop by to deliver a story, you will need to park in front of one of the other buildings down the street.

BOSTON MARATHON SPECIAL EDITION

Monday is an exciting day for a bunch of our subscribers. For some, this will be their first running of this oh so special event. For others, they are on a repeat journey but each attempt is always filled with excitement.

Please do not call the newspaper on Monday to place want ads or to report any lost animals. We must keep the phone lines open, actually make that phone line to await the calls from our runner/reporters on the scene. We will put out a special edition sometime Monday evening.

Have a great week of running!

Editor Fern