The Pikes Peak Road Runners Fall Series #3: Like a mini Skyrunning race, only smaller but just as competitive as the real thing

Where Monument Valley Park brought the "creek cough"-- and possibly Giardia-- Bear Creek Park caused the "death sneeze", Ute Valley Park brought the HURT (read: broken bones, head-first diggers, face slashes, never-nudes and much, much more).

It all started on a beautiful fall day in early November (not the cold, wet and nasty kind that no one likes) but a true it's-almost-70-degrees-kind-of-day. The pecking order has been established with the first half of the series in the rear-view. 

There is the golden boy of Team Colorado, Alex "Axel" Nichols, who is undefeated in the series thus far.

Neil "Big McD" McDonagh is coming off a competitive 2nd place finish in Bear Creek Park and is back at odds with fellow teammate, Axel--call it a rekindling of old fire.

Justin Ricks, who placed 3rd at the Trail Half Marathon National Championships the day before in a different state--his travel stipend must be high!

"A good pre-race dance always gets the juices flowing for the race" - Justin Ricks, the running man    photo: Cherie Xavier

Peter "The Prez" Maksimow, who has not done anything spectacular, is using the strategy of consistency to hold his second place series standing and his 3rd place finish streak.

Nice Inov-(foot) uniform, what is that, velvet!?         photo: Cherie Xavier

Then there is that Chubby Bunny team member Carlos Ruibal, who has hopped his way into the top 5 in all the races thus far (no photographic evidence exists of said Chubby Bunny---OK, that is not true, he was captured in the above photo with Big McD, just the bottom half of his head, though). 

Who else, you ask!?

Leave it to Team Colorado to throw a wrench into things…with another Team Coloradan! Fresh off a 3rd place finish and 2:26:38 at the Steamtown Marathon in Scranton, PA (yes, that is the same place The Office was filmed), youngster James "Mr." Burns goes and throws the whole race out of proportion with his very beautiful stride and flowing blond hair (Axel, you have competition, not only in the beautiful hair category, but also in the race category…as in running race…not racial race).

As usual, the race is taken out at a reckless pace, in this case, someone with the word "Reckless" across their chest. The race starts with a circuit around a track before the climb into the hilly and technical Ute Valley Park, at which point is becomes very fun…or very miserable...depending on who you asked.

Scott Bowman goes out at "RECKLESS" pace                   photo: Jeff Kearney

Ricks and The Prez, chatting about the race                                   photo: Jeff Kearney

The race started like a track race (literally) then matured to a progressive climb before dropping down into a valley of technical footing and a sandy waterless creek. The fast flat section before the beer aid station was relatively mild and really a tease as it soon shot up to the craggy ridge…then down...then up again to a narrow-spiney ridge where things like this occur.

An actual injury caused by the course…luckily not a Team Coloradan. Heal up, Don!           photo: Magnetic Resonance Imaging

In the past this race has witnessed such things are large animal carcasses, sasquaches, even Matt Carpenter! This is the first time for a never-nude.

This never-nude has the striking resemblance of Team Colorado's Brandon "Stankanowich" Stapanowich, but he would never partake in public never-nudity--it scares children                                         photo: PikesPeakSports.us

Axel Nichols uses his superior downhill Jornet-esque running ability to capture yet another Fall Series race win.

Axel shows off his foot and his Team Colorado colors       photo: Jeff Kearney

Axel, after a few games of tennis, wins the race            photo: PikesPeakSports.us

After taking a dive on the trail, Mr. Burns dusts himself off and finishes in 2nd place. 

Mr. Burns powering up the last hill of the course…luckily he doesn't have avian bones        photo: PikesPeakSports.us

A reenactment of what the dive might have looked like.



Following closely behind Mr. Burns was The Prez and Justin Ricks. That Chubby Bunny broke up another Team Colorado sweep.

The Prez takes his 3rd 3rd place finish…that's no coincidence       photo: PikesPeakSports.us

With a (almost) sweep of the race, Team Colorado takes places 1, 2, 3, 4, 6…and 145th for the never-nude.

Big McD pulls out he hand knives in the last climb of the day           photo: PikesPeakSports.us

Confucius says, "Go to bed with itchy butt, wake up with stinky finger." He'll learn.

Yet another public display of posterior itch relief       photo: The Gute

After the adult races were completed, the Fall Series Kid's Races took place with Team Colorado taking the rabbiting duties...because these kids are faster than most elite runners.

Big McD sprinting to stay in front of the 12-14 year olds…no easy task     photo: Chef l'équipe

Who's the Boss…not Tony Danza!!!            photo: Chef l'équipe

Team Colorado: where even your children have no chance of being a winner.

Wow, that doesn't look like it hurts at all!         photo: Chef l'équipe

"Dolla' dolla bill, y'all!" Axel raked in the cabbage with his win.              photo:PikesPeakSports.us 

Congratulations to Team The Blerch (Sarah, Amy, Nora and Bobbi) for surviving the course and hanging on to 2nd place in the women's team category.

Team Colorado Running Company (it's like a small rouge faction of Team Colorado) sits in 2nd in the co-ed team race, which happens to be the most competitive race category in the series.

Don't worry, that foot has since been fixed…do we smell a Pink Cast Award!?

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