It was a gorgeous morning in Garden of the Gods Park , and the 8 a.m. event attracted 925 registered runners for the 12th annual Take 5 in the Garden 5k and 5-mile races, which are part of the Colorado Springs Grand Prix of Running series.
(See more photos here, here, and here. )

(For results, see the Pikes Peak Road Runners, click "results")

Jeff Turner was undisputed as the first to cross the finish line as he won the 5k for the third straight year despite a troublesome hamstring. The 39-year Englishman, a long-time resident of the Springs, was clocked in 18:04 – pedestrian for him – at an average of 5:49 per mile.

"My goal was to win but it was just a workout for me," said Turner, who runs for Runner’s Roost and is a part-time employee of the Springs store managed by Gary and Linda Staines, long-time supporters of some of the area’s top runners.

"We have six men and four females that run for Runner’s Roost," Turner said. "We’re good runners, we’re not that elite. We’re semi-serious, I’d say. We’re usually up front in races around here."

Turner, (pictured at left) who met his American wife in New Zealand , turns 40 in August and is looking forward to competing in Masters events.

Finishing second in the men’s 5k was Andrew Abdella (18:30.50) of Elbert. A 2004 graduate of Falcon High, Abdella ran for Western State University . Third was 38-year-old Adolfo Carrillo (18:40.40), also with Runner’s Roost.

The women’s 5k winner – she was 7th overall in the 5k – was 24-year-old Shannon Payne (picture below), a Ponderosa High graduate who ran for UCCS. She now runs for the Boulder Running Company.

The course features several elevation changes, and begins with a steep climb between two of the huge Red Rocks with the snow-capped Pikes Peak looming in the background.
"We’re pretty dang lucky to have this in our backyard," Payne said. "You’re too busy running to look at much scenery but when you go up that first hill and around the corner, you just go, ‘Wow!’ It’s so beautiful.

"It’s definitely one of the most scenic races you’ll ever run."

Abdella was third most of the race until the final downhill stretch.

"That first hill always kills me. It’s relentless," Abdella said. "(Turner) broke contact with everyone before the top of the first hill, at the three-quarter mile mark."

Unfamiliar with the course on her first race in the Garden, Payne said she started at her own pace.

"I just kept picking people off after that," she said, seemingly ready to go another three miles. "It’s a hard course, though."

Peter Maksimon, 31, of Manitou Springs, won the men’s 5-mile (28:38.90), followed by Christopher Nelson, 40, of Peyton, who crossed the line in 29:09.

Maksimow, who grew up in Los Angeles , lived in the Springs in 2001-03 and moved back in July. He ran for Whittier College , whose most famous alumnus is President Richard M. Nixon. Maksimow is sponsored by Black Fox Brewing Company in Boulder and Team INOV8, which makes mountain running shoes.

"My specialty is running hills," Maksimow said. "The scenery here is breathtaking. It’s a great course, very challenging. Effort-wise, it’s more like an 8-mile race."

Wendy Thomas, 31, of Windsor, (Boulder Running Company) won the women's 5-miler in 31:50.25. Amanda Occhi, 32, Manitou Springs, was second in 32:04.

It was a great day to get out and run.

Colorado Springs Park & Recreation co-workers Jody Derington, 39, and Jody Krisko, 42, (pictured left) ran together until the end. Derington (50:45.55) pulled away from her friend (51:12.55) down the final stretch. Both were winners, though – they made the effort and had fun, while their husbands didn’t race.

Every competitor seemed to have fun, particularly 14-year-old Kathryn Pennington, an eighth-grader at The Classical Academy. Pennington (22:16.80) was fourth in the women’s 5k, a time that would’ve made her 20th in the men’s 5k.

Bright and talented, Pennington appears to be the next generation that will continue TCA’s state dominance in 3A cross country.

On the other end of his racing career is Lile Budden, 50, who was eighth in the men’s 5k (20:07.65).

"I was third here last year," said Budden, who ran for the Pittsburg ( Kan. ) State Gorillas. "The competition is getting tougher, the race is attracting better runners. Last year it was misting and foggy and cold. This year was beautiful but windy. This course is tough even in good weather."

Jakeb Lynch will always have bragging rights when talking about Saturday’s race.

When Jakeb relives his first-ever race with his parents – 35-year-old Scott and 33-year-old Erika – he’ll take great joy in reminding them he finished ahead of both mom and dad.
And Jakeb did it without breaking a sweat.

The key, you see, was 3-year-old Jakeb enjoyed a faster-than-usual ride in his high-tech stroller. Father Scott did the pushing for the 5k (3.1 mile) race while Mom Erika ran alongside, carrying Jakeb’s future sibling.

Erika, who is 5 months pregnant, and Scott crossed the finish line in 39:20, half-a-step behind Jakeb.

Of course, Jakeb didn’t have a microchip attached to his shoe, so he wasn’t an official entrant. Looks like that’ll be mom and dad’s argument.