Joe Colton 10-miler - RACE REPORT

Howdy peoples! What's happenin'? I realized last week that I overlooked my latest race report from the Joe Colton's Off Road Adventure Run on Saturday, June 14. It was really more to be a state-of-my-legs run as opposed to a race as I was only a week removed from my first 50-K'er. Plus, the current program that I'm participating in through Fast Forward Sports is a summer trails and racing program. Joe Colton was on their suggestion list. It's a nicely different twist than building up to one specific race a few weeks or months down the road. It rocks actually. I feel as if I'm finally building up to some more speed-on-the-trails work rather than the golden target a few months down the road or longer and longer distances (though I'm trying to build on that as well).

Anyway, the Joe Colton race is one I've done 2 years-in-a-row now. It's superb and the epitome of a Colorado community coming together. It takes place in Rollinsville, CO every Father's Day Weekend. Joe Colton was a young Rollinsville boy who passed away at the age of 6 from the flu back in 2001. As tragic as that story is, the community has pulled together and amongst other things, they do this race every year to keep a positive memory alive and give back to all involved. As usual, the race is superbly organized, holding a 5K, a 10K, a 10-miler, and a 15-miler, all starting at the same time. And to keep the families involved and going, there is a 1-mile family fun run that starts about 2 hours after the main races. It's always great seeing familes and friends, new and old, conversing and interacting before, during, and after. So, instead of going into the self-indulgent details of my race, I will simply summarize by saying, I ran the 10-miler almost 6 minutes faster than last year, I enjoyed myself immensely, and every mile or so, I thought about a young boy I never knew, Joe Colton.



Having spent his 6 years of life in a place as beautiful as Colorado is amazing enough. Having got to relax and live in Rollinsville and have the spectacular views and access to trails and outdoors as they do up there...... wow. While the premature ending to his life was undoubtedly sad, shocking, terrible, etc., the way the community has come out to not let his memory fade is wonderful. Way to go Rollinsville! And thanks to the memory of Joe Colton for starting such positive events around his beloved hometown.

Bolder Boulder - RACE REPORT

Hey there - I ran the Bolder Boulder 10K this year along with 54,000 others. It was tons o' fun. I PR'ed by 3 minutes - fininshed in 47:09. Cool. I strongly advise everyone to do this for themselves, just once. My silly little race report will not do it justice if you've never experienced this event before. But I share with you some easily, and happily recovered memories, from last Monday.

I sang with the Blues Brothers, again.

Thank you Glen Delman for smacking me on the back and saying, "Don't give up now Butler" after I had zoned out and comfortably settled in behind some slower runners.

I did not do the slip 'n' slide.

I did salivate (again) for the third year in a row when I smelled frying bacon.

I did drink a free beer before 9 in the morning, on Memorial Day, for the third year in a row.

I did almost freeze my butt off hanging out with the good folks from Fast Forward Sports for almost two hours after I finished.

I became rather agitated while waiting almost an hour for a damn local SKIP bus to head home to North Boulder.

And I vowed never to run this race again, for the second year in a row. Talk to ya next year......... next up - my first 50K next weekend. Stay tuned.