Derek Griffiths 1197 posts 0 comments

Libby James, 76, of Fort Collins, Colorado ran a 1:45:56 half-marathon this past weekend at the Walt Disney World Half-Marathon, breaking the previous age group world record for women between the ages of 75-79.

I believe I said once you got that first 5km under the belt…you’d be itching to run a 10km. There is something magical about the 10km distance. On one hand, running 6.2 miles demands your respect and attention, but on the other, it isn't that far…so you could train for and run many of them in a year. It’s a step beyond the 5km and a great segway to the half or full marathon distance.

Easier said than done…for a seasoned runner, doing a 5km is like waking in the morning and pouring that first cup of coffee, but to someone coming off the couch or attempting to run for the first time…it may seem like climbing Everest.

Jordyn Colter has decided to be more smart than tough, and she's definitely tough.

The first event in Colorado Runner's Winter Distance Series kicked off on Saturday with the Santa Stampede 10K and 5K (formerly Rudolph's Revenge).  Taking place at Hudson Gardens in Littleton, the event saw record numbers of over 1,300 participants in both events.  With clear - albeit chilly - weather conditions, the course was clear and fast, leading to some new course records and blazing finishing times.

Spirits were high as almost 600 participants took part in the 4th Annual Home for the Holidays 5K race on Saturday morning at City Park in Denver.  The race was organized and hosted by the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless and raised funds to support homeless Colorado families and individuals this winter.

Dathan Ritzenhein had a superb end to 2012: he placed ninth with a two minute and five second personal best at the Bank of America Chicago marathon on October 7, 2012. Running a very calculated race, Dathan Ritzenhein ran 2 hours, seven minutes and 47 seconds, placing ninth. His two minute plus improvement gives just a hint of the talent that Ritz has in the marathon. Ritz told us that both he and his coach, Alberto Salazar, are now convinced , that due to his relatively light training and his 2:07:47, the marathon should be a focus for him in the years to come.

Runners were greeted to perfect race weather on Saturday morning for the Denver Rock 'n' Roll Marathon and Half Marathon.  The race, which winds its way in and around the streets of Denver, attracted thousands of participants from Colorado and as far as Japan.