Fun runs, triathlons, marathons and more from May - October
GUNNISON-CRESTED BUTTE, COLORADO (April 29, 2008)- The trails that have made Gunnison-Crested Butte, Colorado, world renowned for mountain bikers also are a haven for runners. From mid-May, when snows gradually begins receding to reveal a carpet of wildflowers, to early October, when the aspen have concluded their stunning fall show, trails in the area always astound with their beauty.
One of the benefits of trail running in the Gunnison Valley is that runners are allowed to venture into wilderness territory where bikes and motor vehicles are not permitted. "Trail running gives athletes an opportunity to get into the back country. You can cover a lot of distance in a short time and enjoy spectacular scenery and a great number of trails. Trail running in the Gunnison Valley is excellent altitude training ... almost too good!" says Martin Catmur, organizer of the Crested Butte Mountain Runners and owner of Cristiana Guesthaus Bed and Breakfast in Crested Butte.
Nike, the global athletic footwear, apparel and equipment company has this to say about Gunnison and Crested Butte on its web site http://insidenikerunning.nike.com/, "Nestled in the rugged Rocky Mountains, about three hours west of Denver, lies a small running jewel called Gunnison, Colorado. Visit Gunnison, and you'll be treated to some of the best outdoor recreation this planet has to offer. Gunnison towers at 7,700 feet elevation, making it the perfect place for some good old-fashioned altitude training. Runners in Gunnison are accommodated by miles and miles of high mountain desert trails under nearly constant sunshine (at least 300 days a year). ... Or head to neighboring Crested Butte for an even higher Rocky Mountain running experience, at over 8,800 feet, with trails reaching up to well over 10,000."
This may be why many runners who train at the high altitudes of the Gunnison-Crested Butte valley have a strong presence in high-profile endurance races in Colorado and around the world at all levels, from prep, college and beyond. Team Prep USA calls Crested Butte home and offers running camps, professional coaching and high-altitude performance training, http://www.teamprepusa.com/. While Gunnison-Crested Butte athletes tend to take their sports seriously, there also is a sense of camaraderie in welcoming all levels of participants for running events and a desire to keep it fun.
Crested Butte Mountain Runners Fun Run Series, May - September
Crested Butte Mountain Runners typically organizes 13 morning and evening fun runs annually, from May through September, that are open to any level of runner. Participants range from those setting 5K goals to ultra marathon runners. These are fun runs, not competitive races, and feature refreshments and socializing after each event. Most of the runs have distances for walkers and less serious runners.
A full schedule will be available in April or May. One of the local favorites is the "Grin and Bear It" fun run that happens in July and traverses a 9-mile course from Crested Butte to Green Lake and back, gaining approximately 1,500 feet in elevation. Another favorite is the "Cart to Cart" run on June 15 that goes from Crested Butte to Crested Butte South, covering 15 miles mostly on trails. Refreshments are served and social gatherings take place after several of the fun runs.
A $20 annual membership in the Crested Butte Mountain Runners includes entry into all runs, with a few exceptions such as "Grin and Bear It." Non-members pay $5 per fun run. For details about all the 2008 fun runs, including meeting points and carpooling, visit http://www.cbmountainrunners.org/ in the near future. For questions call Martin Catmur at (970) 349-5326.
Sage Burner Trail Race, Gunnison, June 7
The inaugural Sage Burner Trail Race is set for June 7 at Hartman Rocks Multi-Use Recreation Area 3.5 miles west of Gunnison. The Sage Burner will be two concurrent events consisting of 50K (31 miles) and 25K (15.5 miles) races, both starting at 7 a.m. With trails like Hogsback, Sea of Sage and Rattlesnake, the race course will be a high altitude, quad-pounding adventure for elite and citizen runners alike.
The Sage Burner will benefit programs at Western State College of Colorado, including Club Sports and the High Altitude Performance Lab (HAPLab), and Gunnison Trails, a local non-profit trail advocacy organization. The cost to register is $45 for the 50K and $35 for the 25K. Registration forms can be downloaded at www.western.edu/sageburner. For more information, call Scott Drum at (970) 943-2104.
40th Annual Gothic to Crested Butte Run, Walk or Crawl 1/3 Marathon, 8 a.m.
This longtime Independence Day favorite, organized by Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) begins at 8 a.m. in Gothic. The racecourse winds through aspen woods and meadows to Mt. Crested Butte, travels past the ski resort, and ends on Elk Avenue in downtown Crested Butte. Shuttle buses from Crested Butte will transport all participants to the starting line in Gothic.
Pre-registration will be available on July 3 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Crested Butte Visitor Center located at the intersections of Elk Avenue and Sixth Street. On the day of event, registrations will be accepted from 6 to 7 a.m. at the Visitor Center only if the cap of 500 runners has not been met. The pre-registration cost is $25 for ages 12 and up and $5 for children ages 11 and under. Day-of-race registration is $30 for ages 12 and up and $5 for children ages 11 and under.
The race is a fundraiser for the nonprofit RMBL. For more information, contact RMBL at (970) 349-7231 or visit http://www.rmbl.org/.
6th Annual Crested Butte Bank XTERRA, Crested Butte, July 27
Triathlete Magazine recently ranked the Crested Butte Bank XTERRA as number six on its list of 117 "Must-Do" races for 2008. The sixth annual triathlon is for individuals and teams and consists of a 1K swim, 24K mountain bike ride and 9K trail run. Music, food and enthusiastic spectators lend a festive atmosphere to the triathlon, which begins at 9 a.m.
There will be a Pro category and a challenged athlete division in addition to several age groups for amateur men and women: 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60+. The top three finishers in each age group will receive a custom event medal, and several prizes will be awarded. Those who compete also are eligible for several raffle giveaways. In 2007, pros competed for a $2,500 cash purse.
The triathlon course is set in and around Skyland, a residential community south of Crested Butte. Swimming takes place at Skyland's Grant Lake, while mountain biking is a mix of the area's most popular single track (Upper Loop, Upper-Upper Loop and Strand Hill). In the last leg of the race, competitors begin by running the Upper Loop, then descend Whetstone Vista and return back to Grant Lake to cross the finish line.
All proceeds from the Crested Butte Bank XTERRA go to local causes, including the Crested Butte Land Trust for the protection of open space. For more information, contact Crested Butte Bank at (970) 349-0170, visit the event website at http://www.cbbanktri.com/ or email triathlon@crestedbuttebank.com.
4th Annual Crested Butte to Gunnison MountainAir Marathon & 10 Mile Run, September 14
The fourth annual Crested Butte to Gunnison MountainAir Marathon features a downhill course complemented by amazing fall colors and majestic mountain scenery. The marathon begins one mile south of Crested Butte at 7:30 a.m. and winds through 26.2 miles of the picturesque Gunnison Valley before ending at Western State College's Mountaineer Bowl in Gunnison. The route is certified by USA Track and Field.
In addition to the marathon, a 10-mile run from a half-mile south of Almont to Western State College in Gunnison starts at 9 a.m. There also will be pre- and post-race activities for runners and their families and friends. RE/MAX Community Brokers and Colorado Fitness are the lead sponsors of MountainAir. Proceeds will help Western State College maintain and enhance its track facilities.
The MountainAir Marathon and 10 Mile have a limit of 200 runners, but require no qualifying time to enter. Online registration and a downloadable race form are available on http://www.active.com/. Registration costs are $65 for the MountainAir Marathon and $35 for the MountainAir 10 Mile if postmarked or submitted online before Sept. 1, 2008. After Sept. 1, the costs increase to $75 and $45.
For more information, contact Colorado Fitness in Gunnison at (970) 641-3375 or visit http://www.mountainairmarathon.com/. The marathon is part of September Splendor in the Rockies, a month full of weekend activities in Gunnison County. Visit http://www.septembersplendor.com/ for more information.
15th Annual Run for Rehab, Gunnison, September 27
Run for Rehab, Sept. 29, is a 5K and 10K run, walk or stroll in Gunnison that promotes health and wellness. All proceeds will be used to purchase equipment for the Gunnison Valley Hospital Rehabilitation Department and their patients at the hospital location in Gunnison and the Crested Butte physical rehabilitation location in the Ore Bucket Building. This year marks the fifth annual 1K Tootsie Roll for kids, ages 2 - 10. Boys and girls run, walk or stroll with their parents down a balloon-lined straightaway and receive a ribbon and oversized Tootsie Roll at the end.
Run for Rehab begins at 9 a.m. and has entry fee of $20 for early registration and $25 for late registration. Cost for Tootsie Roll registration is $5. For more information, Daniel Marshall at Gunnison Valley Hospital, (970) 641-7297.
Visitor Information & Personalized Vacation Packages
To find out more about Gunnison-Crested Butte's calendar of events or to book personalized vacation packages, visit http://www.gunnisoncrestedbutte.com/. During summer and fall, air access to the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport is provided by United Airlines.
About Gunnison-Crested Butte, Colorado
Gunnison-Crested Butte is nestled among almost two million acres of pristine wilderness in southwest Colorado. Winter sports enthusiasts know the area for its world-class alpine skiing and snowboarding at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ice fishing. Gunnison-Crested Butte is also a haven for outdoor summer activities. In the warmer months, visitors can choose from recreational activities such as hiking, climbing, mountain biking, boating, whitewater rafting, kayaking, fly-fishing, camping and horseback riding. Year-round visitors enjoy distinctive restaurants, unique shops and stimulating cultural opportunities, and have a wide range of lodging options - from rustic inns to guest cabins and bed-and-breakfasts to full-service resort hotels.
Recognized as the "Official Wildflower Capital of Colorado" by the Colorado Legislature and one of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's "Dozen Distinctive Destinations" in 2008, Crested Butte is the site of rich mining, ranching and skiing heritage and home to the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame and Crested Butte Academy, a private college preparatory boarding and day school with special emphasis on world-class alpine, snowboarding and high altitude distance running programs.
Gunnison, a real western town, is home to the beautiful, high-country campus of Western State College, a four-year institution offering 22 majors in the liberal arts and sciences and professional fields, and the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport. Both Crested Butte and Gunnison have thriving historic central business districts packed with shopping and dining opportunities.
In Gunnison County, visitors will find the Curecanti National Recreation Area, where dinosaur fossils were recently discovered; the Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado's largest body of water and home to the largest Kokanee salmon fishery in the United States; and The Black Canyon of the Gunnison, one of our country's newest national parks. Gunnison County includes the quaint and historic towns of Pitkin, Gothic, Tin Cup, Marble, Powderhorn, Almont and Crystal, plus the better-known communities of Gunnison, Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte.
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Photo by David Kozlowski
Running Events in Gunnison County 2008.doc (393 KB)
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