A sold-out field converged on Bear Creek Lake Park Sunday morning for the Yeti Chase 5K and 10K. You wouldn’t think participants were out to chase yetis, though, as the majority of runners and walkers were donning Broncos apparel in preparation for the afternoon AFC Championship game, where the Broncos defeated the Patriots, earning their ticket to the Superbowl.
Regardless of what participants were wearing, they certainly weren’t wearing much, as race conditions were absolutely perfect, with sunny skies and seasonal January temperatures. Both race distances attracted some of Colorado’s best to take on the challenging courses through the park. Perhaps it was the $1,000 prize money for the top finishers or the gift certificates and merchandise from event sponsors for the top age groupers. Regardless, participants basked in the sunshine and the post-race festivities as the awards were announced.
The men’s 10K race was very close, with the top three runners finishing under 33 minutes. Jason West prevailed, crossing the line in 32:09. Brandon Johnson was second in 32:24, with Mario Macias coming in third in 32:41.
In the women’s 10K, Misikir Demessie took top honors in 36:17 with Hayley Benson finishing second in 37:56. Coming in third was Bria Edwards in 38:30.
The men’s 5K race was also close, with Andrew Knutsen out-kicking Lars Hultgren in 17:30. Hultgren came in second in 17:45. Rounding out the top three was Cody Waite in 18:03.
In the women’s 5K, Jennifer Valentine grabbed the win in 19:48. Crossing the line in second was Christy Kendall in 20:17, with Megan Green finishing third in 20:27.