Hybrid Athletes: outdoor AND indoor running !

 Winter is for January good intentions and avoiding the  December credit card bill. The Square State Striders did an excellent job this quarter tending to their running obligations. We had folks running half miles to marathons. Let’s hear about it!

Ruth Leibfritz toed the line in Chaffee county, against the world’s best (and some other people I assume). 

Run Through Time Marathon - Salida, CO

Saturday 3/8/25

I signed up for this one with a few friends to have a longer "training run" for future ultras this spring. Finished in 5:23:30, which was better than I expected with all the elevation gain and some dicey terrain. Achieved my goal of not falling down. 

Courtney Dauwalter casually showed up and ruined my chance of placing first and breaking the course record - maybe next year... Overall, I enjoyed the course and all the views/snacks that came along with it!

Andy Sherwood, when not allocating apologies for unfilled potholes on Fountain blvd, snuck into the Rescue Run after Christmas. 

Rescue Run 5k- “I beat Cheyenne Mtn #3 girl. JT was working the race for EPSCAR so I had to run solo”

Jon Teisher ran the Mississippi Blues Marathon and another one in the upper Midwest. 

“You don’t like my reports”-JT (JT sends reports in via postcard and must be using media mail grade postage for the time it takes to get to Striders HQ). JT also mixed up with aging Masters Mid America USATF champs at UCCS in the 1500m.

Adam Rich has maintained his steady diet of front range 5k-ing(ish). Adam also has kept up a new Square State tradition, finishing second to Joe Gray. 

“Go slow, slower and lost to Joe Gray.”

Jeffrey Eggleston continues his Don Quixote quest of sub 2 min 800m. 

1/10/25, CU Potts Invitational, 800m, 2:00.41, 7th

Ran a lifetime best but ended up on the wrong side of 2:00. Running in a collegiate 800 is wild. Realized I may need to try bicarb and a speedsuit next time.

2/9/25, USATF Mid America Region Masters Indoor Championship, 800m, 2:05.17, 2nd; 1500, 4:22.29, 2nd

I knew 2 laps into the 800 that it was not my day (or preferred track) to go for sub 2, but did what I could to hang on. In a tactical 15, I followed a strong move by Neil at halfway to hang on for 2nd. Square State 1-2! The masters racing scene is a different vibe than college indoor racing.

2/22/25, USATF Masters Indoor Championship, 1500m, 4:01.22, 2nd

Gainesville was a trip. In the 15, Neil kept the race operating smoothly in 32s. I weaved my way through to the front for the final 3 laps to wind it up. The winner had a major gear shift with 300 to go and outdistanced us in last lap. We both closed in 30 and went 2-3. A cranky hamstring kept me from completing the 800m the next day.  

Kari and Gerald Romero used what I can only imagine was all their PTO bank this winter to travel to a litany of races from coast to coast. Delta Medallion level of finisher medals!

Gerald submitted a trove of photos, some oddly vulgar from a Vegas t-shirt stand (you had to be there). 

Rescue run 5k - 1st place 50-54. Jan 1st 

Dopey challenge - 5k, 10k, half marathon and marathon January 9,10,11,12 Walt Disney world 

Disney land 10k and half marathon February 1st and 2nd- california

Super half marathon downtown Colorado Springs 1:45 

Shamrock stampede 10k today in castle rock 
8 th overall
1st place 50-59 
RRCA CHAMPION 

Building my base up slowly. No speedwork yet. Low mileage. Doing a lot of climbing and trail. 

Getting ready too qualify for the xterra trail world championships at xterra Phoenix at the end of March

Neil McDonagh, tested the tendon gods in a sampler plate of events at the Mid America Masters Indoor champs. Completing a high school dual meet amount of events: 3000m (9:06) , 800m (2:07.4), 1500m (4:20.5) and finally at 4x800 relay. 

‘Luckily I was only able to conjured neurotic injuries from this meet prior to my return to Florida (a state I was once a registered voter). Florida smelled as I recalled. The top notch new indoor facility in Gainesville exceeded all expectations and made for a series of great races at the Masters Indoor National Champs. Chasing Jeffrey and other speedy 40+’s all the way to the finish of the 1500m /3rd (4:01.5). Finished off almost catching my freshman high school PR in the 800m /3rd (2:00.1). After being marked safe from the South, I took a detox and raced the ever popular 7k distance at the Running of the Green (Denver) chalking up a 21:49 (5th overall). Can’t wait to impress everyone at the work water cooler with that time!”