Author

Derek Griffiths 1197 posts 0 comments

Derek Griffiths is the owner of Colorado Runner. He is also the race director for all events produced by Colorado Runner Events. An avid runner since middle school, Derek has completed over 50 marathons with a PR of 2:41:09 set at the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon in 2003.

Four Fun Leisure Sports to Try When You’re Not Training for Your Next Race

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If you love to run, then you understand how much discipline you need to be a great runner. You need to train throughout the week in order to build your endurance. You also have to eat well to push your body to where it needs to be. But you also deserve a break from constantly training. If you want to maintain an active weekly routine while also getting a break from running, there are other sports you can add in to the mix. Read on to learn about four fantastic sports to try out when you aren't focused solely on running.

Boulder’s Duffy wins XTERRA World Championship; Vail’s Middaugh top American

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Bradley Weiss from South Africa and Flora Duffy from Bermuda captured the 24th XTERRA World Championship off-road triathlon elite titles on a beautiful day at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua on Maui’s northwest coast on Sunday, October 27, 2019. It’s the second title in three years for Weiss, who won it in 2017 and was second last year, and the unprecedented fifth XTERRA World Championship crown for Duffy, who won four straight from 2014-2017 before sitting out last year due to injury. Both earned $20,000 for their respective victories, their share of the $100,000 elite purse.

Boulder’s Wacker wins gold at NACAC Mountain Running Championships

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The NACAC Mountain Running Championships were held on Sunday, October 20, at a countryside venue located just 30 minutes from Tepatitlan de Morelos, Jalisco, Mexico. On race day, the Cerro Gordo mountain added the additional challenge of mud and slick rocks to the competition.

Hammer and Wilbert win Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon

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More than 7,500 registered participants from age 12 to 81 took to the beautiful downtown of the Mile-High City this weekend to run in the 10th running of the Humana Rock ‘n’ Roll Denver Half Marathon. With a continued focus on great music within the Denver community, participants of all athletic levels enjoyed the sights and sounds of Colorado’s capital city.

Brigid Kosgei smashes the world record at the 2019 Bank of America Chicago Marathon

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With a pre-race narrative filled with talk of a potential world record, Brigid Kosgei (KEN) delivered, shattering Paula Radcliffe's world record (set 16 years ago), 2:15:25, to rewrite history with a jaw-dropping time of 2:14:04. She also swept away Chicago's long-standing course record, 2:17:18, on its 17th anniversary (October 13, 2002).

Kipchoge becomes the first human to run a sub-2 hour marathon

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Saturday morning, on a flat, straight, tree-lined avenue in the heart of Vienna, Eliud Kipchoge become the first person ever to break two hours in a marathon. He finished in 1:59:40, averaging 4:34 pace per mile. The time trial, dubbed the 1:59 Challenge and sponsored by INEOS, a chemical company based in the U.K, was Kipchoge’s second attempt at breaking the two-hour barrier for 26.2 miles.

Thousands Took to the Streets of Denver for Hot Chocolate 5K and 15K

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The Allstate Hot Chocolate 15k/5k, coined as America’s Sweetest Race, brought thousands of runners to the streets of Denver this weekend. Longmont's Alex Diltz led the charge in the 15K race in 50:04, running a 5:23 per mile pace. Shannon Kinney of Louisville won the women's 15K event in 58:56. Nearly 3,000 runners completed the 15k course.

USATF U18 Girls’ Mountain Running Team Earns Bronze

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Colorado high school runners Samantha Blair (5th place), Madeleine Burns (7th place) and Maggi Congdon (18th place) took home the team bronze medal at the World Mountain Running Association’s (WMRA) U18 International Mountain Running Youth Cup in Susa, Italy.

Records Fall At Liberty Bell Invitational

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Valor's Cole Sprout ran 14:38 to crush the previous course record, and run the fastest time in the country. Cherry Creek's Parker Wolfe ran 14:47 to finish second with the second fastest time in the county. And not to be out done, Sydney Thorvaldson from Rawlins High in Wyoming set a new girl's course record on 16:40.