Cathy Cowles from Durango made a spontaneous choice Saturday afternoon and decided to run Sunday’s San Juan Mountains Half- Marathon (13.1 miles).
“The out-and-back (section of the race) was not my favorite part but it was nice running on the Animas River Trail,” Cowles said.
Fall is a popular time for marathons and racing. There are more than 120 marathons in the United States from September 1- November 31.
Durango’s Rocky Mountain Festival for Runners may not be the biggest fall racing event but it is one of the best organized and friendliest. Add in perfect weather, sunshine, the changing colors of the leaves and running in Durango last weekend was heaven.
The Denver Marathon was also supposed to be run Sunday, but a last-minute cancellation benefited Durango.
“We still had registration open Sunday morning for the runners who drove all night from Denver,” said event director, Matt Kelly. “There were runners from 29 states here today.”
Duane Hronik from Nebraska was visiting his brother-in-law who lives in Durango. Hronik walked up the Fort Lewis College nature trail to the race. He was hoping to run a one-hour and 45-minute half-marathon but after having run the 25-K (15 1/2 miles) trail run Saturday, he wasn’t sure.
“My legs were giving out towards the end of yesterday’s run.”
Many people took advantage of back-to-back racing days and completed the 25K Saturday and the half marathon Sunday or the 50K (31 miles) Saturday and the full marathon Sunday.
Sheena Oyler, woman’s winner of the half-marathon went to the start line with few expectations.
“I hope I can finish,” Oyler said.
Oyler started the race conservatively but she felt comfortable during the run.
“It was exciting and I’ll always run but having a baby in April puts things into perspective,” Oyler said. “It was nice seeing friends and all of the volunteers.”
Jeff Galloway, 1972 Olympian, was in town to support the races but he opted to explore trails instead of running on Sunday.
“Have fun and enjoy the scenery,” Galloway encouraged the racers. “This is a beautiful overlook (from the Fort Lewis College mesa) and it’s such perfect weather today.”
Runners were treated to a fast course. After beginning with a loop around the FLC campus, it was nothing but downhill around the golf course and a wicked descent on Goeglein Gulch. With Main Avenue blocked off and plenty of good crowd support, runners proceeded on the north end of the river trail to 32nd street and East Animas. After the turn-around point on East Animas, it was again slightly downhill all the way to the Harvest Block party and a dramatic downtown finish.
Durangoan Rich Stewart ran the full marathon last year and the 25K Saturday. He was a little sore at the start but he was happy to get in some good training miles in preparation for the Tucson Marathon in December.
“I just wanted to have some fun,” Stewart said. “I really need to get back to doing Tuesday noon-time track work with Durango Motorless Transit.”
Peter Marshall, general manager of the Doubletree Hotel ran the 5K (3.1 mile) event on Sunday.
“I felt good but I was also feeling a little guilty that I didn’t do the half or the marathon,” Marshall said.
Colin Deaver, an eighth grader at Miller Middle school ran with Marshall for the 5K.
Deaver was nothing but smiles at the finish line.
“You mean I get to be in the newspaper tomorrow?” Deaver said, when I finished talking to him.
Mandy Rikulencak, saloon girl volunteer from the Women’s Resource Center, was working the finish line in complete Western attire.
Kim Cobb from the Durango Area Tourism Office said that the races were good for locals and tourism and wonderful for the whole community.
Kelly will begin organizing his fourth annual Rocky Mountain Festival for Runners during Columbus Day weekend next year. It’s never too early to start getting in shape.
Complete race results can be found here.