Thursday, April 30, 2015

Team Colorado Welcomes the Kilt Lifter himself Ryan "Highlander" Smith

Now you see why we call him the Highlander!

Name: Ryan "Highlander" Smith

Age: 35

Hometown: Harpenden, UK

Current residence: Boulder, CO

Sponsors: La Sportiva, Simple Hydration, Feetures! Socks, CarboPro

Silke "Smooth" Koester and Ryan. What do you keep in that Sporran, Ryan?
Personal Bests (or Worsts): One of only three people to finish the Boulder Bad Ass 100 (it wasnt a race, only 5 people started and it was only run once.but it was still awesome and stupid).

Notable Achievements: Never thrown up in a race before. Never DNFed a race. Never walked in a 100 miler. No doubt Ill experience some of these things soon.

Goals for 2015 and beyond: Run awesome stuff. Travel to cool places and do more of the former. Break 2:30 in the marathon (note: Ryan came very close as he placed 2nd in the New Jersey Marathon, 2:33:40, a few days ago. He blames all the beautiful gardens for slowing him down.). Surprise people at Western States. Surprise more people at UTMB.

Favorite trails: A tough one to be concise with but Harriman State Park, NY for sheer trail density, anything in the Lake District, UK for quality pub proximity, anything in the Moab area for sheer out-of-this-world feeling and literally anything in New Zealand because everything there is amazing.

Favorite workout: Anything with friends because suffering alone is weird.  

Favorite races: San Juan Solstice 50 because its hard and will eat you alive. The Trans Alps 8 day stage race because half the battle is surviving the camps and the scenery isn't too shabby. Also any Fell race in the UK or basically any race that finishes at a pub after climbing a mountain.


Favorite beer: Any non-hipster stout were they haven't ruined it by trying to put some fancy ingredient in it. Also any cask pulled ale where the bar tender had to exert some effort. My go-to local staple is either Upslope in Boulder or Odells in the Fort as they rarely make a bad beer.


Why Trail/Mountain/Ultra Running?: Because the scenery is spectacular and beer drinking is encouraged.



FTM: Living in Colorado you soon learn that everyone is more awesome than you.

Friday, April 24, 2015

Team Colorado Welcomes Allie "Mac" McLaughlin (Yes, her Manitou Incline PR is faster than yours!)

Name: Allie "Mac" McLaughlin

Age: 24

Hometown: Colorado Springs, CO

Current residence: Colorado Springs, CO

Sponsors: Great Harvest Bread Co. (NOW SEEKING, if you are interested, please contact us! Teamcoloradorunners@gmail.com)
2014 World Mtn Running Bronze Medalist
photo: Nancy Hobbs

Personal Bests: Manitou Incline - 20:07 (2010, Dang!), Indoor 3k - 9:22 (2010), XC 6k - 20:01 (2009), Pikes Peak Ascent - 2:33:42 (2014)

Notable Achievements: 2008 Colorado State XC 5A State Champion, 2009 NCAA XC All-American (5th place, 2nd ever best finish by a freshman behind Shalane Flanagan--2000), 2014 US Mountain Running Champion, 2014 Pikes Peak Ascent/WMRA World Long Distance Challenge Champion, 2014 World Mountain Running Bronze Medalist.

Goals for 2015 and beyond: I would really love to represent the US and race internationally
again as well as run a strong road half or 10k!

Favorite trails: Ute Valley, Greenland Open Space, and The Incline!

Favorite workout: I don't do workouts. Or I guess I just consider every run a workout?

(Don't let her size fool you, Allie also lifts weights, plays hockey, snowboards, wakeboards, swims, downhill mountain bikes, and humbles even the fastest of men!)

Favorite races: Nashville Rock n Roll Half, GoPro Vail Pass Half

Favorite beer: Vodka!

Instagram @alliemc3

Why Trail/Mountain/Ultra Running?: I love the technicality of trails and the places they take you!

"Struth!!!" says the large Australian. 2014 Pikes Peak Ascent.            photo: PikesPeakSports.us

Monday, April 6, 2015

Team Colorado Welcomes Sandi "The Riveter" Nypaver



Name: Sandi "The Riveter" Nypaver

Age: 26

Hometown: Parma Heights, OH

Current residence: Mecca of Trail Running, CO

Sponsors: Hammer Nutrition, Ultimate Direction, UGo Bars, and  Feetures!

Personal Bests (or Worsts):  I thought it was a good idea to run 100 miles without ever having run an ultra or trail race before and my sister agreed to pace me, so I ran it and ended up winning.

Notable Achievements:  I received the coveted Best Blood award while running Grindstone 100 in 2010. I still have a bump on my knee from a rock puncturing my skin.

Goals for 2015 and beyond: To perfect running like a dog (minus the running breaks to smell poop). They just love being outside running and are so happy to be running they don't even notice how challenging it is to run a steep uphill at altitude.

Favorite trails: Bear Trail in Ouray Colorado, but all the trails in the San Juans are pretty spectacular. I love Bear Canyon Trail in Boulder as well, so maybe I just like trails with the name Bear.

Favorite workout: The Quad Builder: 5 x 1/2 mile hill repeats with some shorter repeats after.

Favorite races: I Believe Trail Races, Mountain Masochist, Promise Land, and most likely a race I have yet to run. 

Favorite beer: It's Colorado, obviously no one here likes beer.


Why Trail/Mountain/Ultra Running?: Who wouldn't want to risk getting eaten by mountain lions, falling off cliffs, getting lost, getting caught in storms, puking their guts out at a race, or cause hours of self-induced pain? I'm pretty sure that's the definition of a good time. In all serious though, I just love running and being outdoors. 

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Barr Trail Mountain Race and The Pikes Peak Marathon Team Up

Triple Crown of Running adopts
Barr Trail Mountain Race


April 2, 2015

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. - One of the top mountain runs in the west, the Barr Trail Mountain Race (BTMR), will merge with the Triple Crown of Running in 2015. The agreement will provide long term financial stability and proven race operations support for the BTMR, which is set to run for the 14th time on July 19.


“This is an obvious and natural fit between our two organizations, as both have provided many years of challenging and iconic mountain races,” said Ron Ilgen, president of Pikes Peak Marathon, Inc., which oversees the Triple Crown. “The synergies gained from a race organization perspective are many, but even more so for Pikes Peak runners.”


Team Colorado, a nonprofit organization of elite trail runners, inherited the management of the Barr Trail Mountain Race in 2014. Under the new agreement, Team Colorado will continue to produce the event, with team president Peter Maksimow serving as race director.

“Team Colorado is giddy with excitement with the merger of the Barr Trail Mountain Race and the Pikes Peak Marathon and the Triple Crown family of races,” Maksimow said. “The fit is perfect as these races share the same ideals, love of the sport, community and worldly following.”

The Barr Trail Mountain Race is capped at 400 entries and online registration opened today. Check barrtrailmountainrace.com for more information. Information about the Triple Crown of Running can be found at pikespeakmarathon.org.

The Barr Trail Mountain Race was started in 2000 by Matt Carpenter, the 12-time winner of the Pikes Peak Marathon, and Nancy Hobbs, a longtime race promoter who currently serves as the executive director of the American Trail Running Association. The event gained popularity as a training race for the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon, and as a fundraiser for area nonprofits, an objective that remains with the merger.

“There are many similarities to the BTMR and the Pikes Peak Marathon,” Ilgen said. “One of particular importance is that we share the same goal of giving back financially to organizations that support running.”

Runners will see an immediate benefit, as the overall men’s and women’s winners in BTMR will earn a comp entry into this year’s Pikes Peak races. And all who finish within the race’s 3-hour and 30-minute cutoff will qualify for entry into the 2016 Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon. Future plans call for the creation of a new race series that would complement the Triple Crown, which currently includes the Garden of the Gods 10 Mile Run, the Summer Roundup Trail Run, and the Pikes Peak Ascent, or the ascent portion of the Pikes Peak Marathon.

Held on Barr Trail, one of the world’s most famous mountain race courses, the 12.6-mile BTMR starts on Ruxton Ave. in front of the Pikes Peak Cog Railway in Manitou Springs. From there, runners begin a tough 3,360-feet ascent to Barr Camp where they make the turn and charge back to Manitou Springs. Though the race is doable by any runner in reasonable condition, it is famous for burning the legs and lungs of those willing to push themselves.

“The first time I ran BTMR I couldn't walk normally for a week. It doesn't matter who you are, the mountain will make you hurt,” said Alex Nichols, 2013 BTMR winner.

The Barr Trail Mountain Race annually attracts some of the best trail runners in the country. Carpenter won multiple times, and Brandy Erholtz, a former two-time Pikes Peak Ascent champion and women’s overall record holder at BTMR (1:47:57), competes there nearly every year.


“I love the BTMR,” she said. “It’s a great excuse to train on Barr Trail for Pikes Peak. The aid stations are awesome, and if you do well, there is prize money! Not to mention you are in downtown Manitou Springs where you can get good grub, craft beer and soak in the river. Fun for the entire family!”

With more races and expanding opportunities for runners coming online each year, managing running races and maintaining participation numbers has become a challenge. Race organizers are convinced the merger will make for a sustainable BTMR.

“Now we can back up our pretty face with the brawn and prestige of the Pikes Peak Marathon and make sure that the legacy of the BTMR lives a long and healthy life,” Maksimow said. “We can't think of a better big brother to adopt us.”

2014 BTMR winners: Joe Gray, Colorado Springs, 1:29:43; Brandy Erholtz, Evergreen, 1:55:08
BTMR course records: Ryan Hafer, Colorado Springs, 2010, 1:29:05; Brandy Erholtz, 2010, 1:47:57
History: The Waldo Canyon Fire forced the cancelation of the 2012 race.

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Max King To Join Team Colorado

Max has his hat, his assless chaps and he's headed to Colorado           photo: Max King

It's been a secret for a while but Team Colorado is excited to announce that the one, the only, Max "Silver Mullet" King will be moving to Colorado and joining Team Colorado! Max recently joined Team Salomon and is best know for his muscly physique, OCR skills--such as swinging from trees--oh yeah, and 2014 Road 100K World Champion. He is packing up the family wagon train and leaving Bend, OR, which he will miss greatly, to search for gold in the mountains of CO. Plus, he has already won so much prize money in Colorado that he feels like he has to give back to the state that has given him so much.


Max surrounded by 9 Team Coloradans as they smash the Mt. Washington Road Race Team Record in 2012. "I need to move there" he thinks!                                                 photo: The First Lady

Max is sad to leave but says, "I'm really excited to be picking up the whole family including a 2 and 5yr old and moving them to the high altitude of Colorado. It's as much for me as it is to get the kids introduced to high altitude early and start their mountain running career. I'd like Micah to become the youngest Pikes Peak Marathon Champion ever and Hazel to be the youngest person to ever complete the famous marathon next year. I think she's almost ready but just missing that specific high altitude training."
Maintenance and growth is the key!
photo: OutThereColorado

Team Colorado: What are you lacking? Do you think Colorado will get you to the next level?

Max: I'm getting to that point in my life where I need to start thinking about the next step in my training evolution and I really believe that Peter "The Prez" Maksimow can help me get there. His ability to grow and maintain facial hair is astounding. It's going to be a necessary piece of my training going forward, just look at the rest of the ultrarunning world. Everyone has facial hair, a lot of it too!

Atop Mt. Washington Rickey, Jared and Brandy take bets on when Max will move to Colorado, as he listens to Tommy explain "I just ran right by Max, I'm from Colorado, this is a speed bump compared to Colorado!" Jason from NC is getting as high as he can to gather the effects of  high altitude.  photo: Joe Viger  

TC: So, Max, this is a huge move for you! Why are you deciding to come to CO since you have had so much success in Bend? Is it the beer, are you coming to CO for the beer!?

Max: Yes, I've outgrown the sup-par beer of Central Oregon and it no longer is having a positive training affect. The watery macro beer of Colorado will allow me to get serious in my training and not be too tempted to drink it in larger quantities. 

Max spotted in Manitou Springs, CO getting tips from the golden boy, Alex "Axel" Nichols, and other Coloradans

TC: Inquiring minds want to know: how do you get so muscly? Is it all that OCR training?

Max: It has been a challenge to get to this level of running fitness, to say the least. I've recently begun a strict diet of a dozen eggs and a donut for three meals a day along with a CrossFit regimen that would make Stone Cold Steve Austin cry. I no longer believe that running produces fast times in races, it only leads to more injuries for me. 

Silver Mullet: Check. Muscles like Arnold: Check. Swinging skills of an Orangoutang: Check.
 

TC: Are you going to take a stab at Matt Carpenter's Pikes Peak Marathon record? Alex "Axel" Nichols said he won't let you beat him, he doesn't care how fast you have run in the steeplechase or 100K!

Max: Yes, but after developing my CrossFit mentality I no longer feel like it's a legitimate record to go after in the summer. When I arrive in Colorado I'll wait until winter to attempt the record using snowshoes. Plus, tree line on Pikes Peak starts where Mt. Hood ends!


TC: We heard you have done 100 X 400m on the track and pinned a race number directly on the skin of your chest….that sounds like Team Colorado material to us!!!

Max: I'm so happy to be welcomed as part of Team Colorado!