Buena vista, colorado

Race Recap 2024

This was a BIG Year for the Collegiate Peaks Trail Run (“CPTR) on May 4, in its 34th year, adding a new partner event – the Inaugural Collegiate Peaks Mountain Bike Trail Ride (“CPMbTR” - ?)* on May 5 !!!!

 Running festivities started off Friday afternoon with a great vibe beginning to build as runners, with friends & family in tow, began arriving at the BV Community Center / “Race Central” for packet pickup and Pre-Race Meeting. The vibe and excitement apparent in everyone continued up to, and through, both Distance Start Waves (6:30 / 6:45) Saturday morning – each marked by our “signature” canon blasts setting runners off in initial chase of Race Start / Lead Car amidst some high energy music and lots of cheers, whoops, and hollers from friends, family, curious local spectators, and race volunteers !

Early in the race, a first time Course Ambassador, as seen by runners and volunteers …looking directly at camera (pic taken by RDs far better half, Debbie).

Photo courtesy of Debbie Farrell

Kind of “flip flopping”, instead of more historic ‘norms’, the weather started off with cloudy skies holding on to, and a bit thru, mid-day.  Milder temps with “spritely” wind developing into “blustery cooling exuberance”, seemed to combine with a strong field of runners to produce a number of course records in both distances and across age groups. For all results, and to hone in on age group performances, check out our interactive race page at Ultrasignup.com..  But, just a few sample highlights to note –

 In the 25M Race:

Men’s and Women’s overall winners were Joel Shores (25) of Boulder, CO in 2:59:16 and Kasey Sutherlin (34), of Moab, UT in 3:26:31.  In Men’s 70+ age group, Senovio Torres of Cordova, NM finished in 4:43:26 – 2+ hrs over the prior current course age group record and believed to be the only sub-5hr age group performance for that distance on any CPTR course since inception in 1991 !!

 In the 50M Race:

Men’s and Women’s overall winners were Pat Cade (40) of Leadville, CO in 7:08:18 and Aleksandra Wronka (39) of Littleton, CO in 9:25:02.  Pat’s time bested the existing current course record by a bit over an hour.

 For all course records, see our www.collegiatepeakstrailrun.org..

 Congratulations to everyone who ran together as the 2024 field of competitors !!

Job Well Done to you ALL !!!

 (And, hey, just in case anyone thinks it’s all about speed, getting to the finish as quickly as possible, as early in the day as possible, slow & steady is both mindful and can result in something like this seen late Saturday from the course just outside of town –

Photo courtesy of Debbie Farrell

{*Runners, Runner/Bikers, and, well everybody, check out https://www.bvsingletrack.com/events/collegiate-peaks-trail-ride }

 Burke Kaiser

Race Director – CPTR