FALL SERIES IV

While Alex Nichols completed his business-as-usual sweep of the Pikes Peak Road Runners Fall Series, Crystal Goecker was ecstatic to win the finale and claim the series title at Palmer Park.

The talented Nichols, who competes internationally, comfortably won all four of the Fall Series races. He completed Sunday’s race in 45:25, a comfortable 31 seconds ahead of runner-up James Burns. Peter Maksimow was third in 47:53.

Fall Series Awards Photos

“It was tough,” said Nichols, who ran for Colorado College and is now an assistant coach there. “It was a fast course – for Palmer Park, especially. At least one really big uphill was eliminated.”

That suited Nichols, who said he’s training for a 50-mile race Dec. 7 near San Francisco.
“These are my speed workouts,” he said matter-of-factly.

The course, set up by Pikes Peak Road Runners Director Larry Miller, was approximately seven miles over the rough terrain of Palmer Park.

“Alex is extremely talented,” Maksimow said, “When he’s healthy, and he is now, he’s very good.”
Nichols, 27, said it was great to complete the sweep – it had been his goal – of the four-race Fall Series.

“It came together and I stayed healthy enough to win them all,” he said. “Like James said, one wrong step and you could take a fall.”

Burns, 25, who ran collegiately for George Mason and is a professional triathlete, was competing in his second trail race and hurt his right ankle at about the halfway point.

“I tried staying with you, man,” Burns said to Nichols as they visited after the race. “I don’t know how you fly down those hills.”

“Lots of practice,” Nichols said with a smile.

Nichols finished all four races with a total time of 2:07:42. Maksimow was second at 2:13:04, followed by Carlos Ruibal at 2:15:54. Read more ...

Results **  Video, Interview with Crystal Goeckler ** Photos, Gallery 1 ** Gallery 2

FALL SERIES III

Ashley Anderson joined hundreds of other parents who watched their children have fun in an entertaining series of races Sunday. Like the others, she figures to do it again.

About 350 children – from toddlers to teenagers – participated in the Pikes Peak Road Runners Kids Races on Sunday at Eagleview Middle School adjacent to Ute Park. Anderson was one of the many parents who couldn’t stop smiling – and not just because the races are free for all entrants.

“I love every second of it,” Anderson said. “My husband (Jeff) and I want to help our kids love sports, and do things outside. We want them to take advantage of living in Colorado.”

Anderson watched her daughter, Aubrey, 3, run 40 yards in the Toddler Trot, then worked her way around the inside of the track to see her son, Archer, 5, race for 550 yards in the Preschool race.
The third race was for children ages 6-8 and was a half-mile. Kids ages 9-11 then ran 1.25 miles before the runners ages 12-14 raced 2.5 miles. The next Kids Races are at Palmer Park Nov. 17, as the Pikes Peak Road Runners' Fall Series concludes.

Jeff Anderson is in the Army and has been stationed in Afghanistan since July.

“That’s why I take lots of pictures and videos, to send to him,” Ashley Anderson said.

She heard about the races from a friend, and is glad she did.

“It’s the second time we’ve come to these,” she said. “Aubrey is social; she had fun. Archer is a runner, a fast runner. Now is the time for him to taste-test and see what sports he likes.”

Micky Simpson, the Kids Race Director the last six years, does a wonderful job coordinating and instructing the children before each race. She teaches sportsmanship and safety.

“It’s great to see the kids have so much fun,” said Simpson, who taught fourth grade for 18 years in Elbert before moving to preschool this year. “For the little ones, it’s about finding out how much fun it is. The older ones are competitive. The main goal for all is to get them outside to have fun. It’s good for them to be active, whether they’re playing soccer of football or running.” Read more ...

Results ** Video, Start of the race ** Photos, Gallery 1 ** Gallery 2** Gallery 3** Gallery 4 ** Kids Race Photos

FALL SERIES II

Alex Nichols sensed the moment had arrived, and he quickly seized the opportunity. The talented Colorado Springs runner darted off the trail, dashed past Neil McDonagh and never looked back en route to winning the second race of the Pikes Peak Road Runners Fall Series.

Nichols, who ran well in Italy the previous Sunday in the Skyrunner World Series, traversed the hilly 4.6-mile course at Bear Creek Park West in 26:10 to easily claim his second win of the series.

“Neil pushed me, and we ran the first part of the race very fast,” said Nichols, 28. “About halfway through, I felt the pace was slowing down. I was right behind him, on a narrow part of the trail, so I went into the bushes to pass him.

“He said I picked the perfect place to pass him.”

McDonagh, 31, was a 1,500-meter runner at Georgia Tech while Nichols was a distance man at Colorado College, where he coaches. McDonagh said Nichols made his move when the pair reached a series of short but steep hills.

“We’d pulled away from everyone else,” McDonagh said, “but when we got to the first set of real steep rollers, he zipped ahead and pulled away. He put about 50 seconds on me the last mile-and-a-half.”

McDonagh was clocked in 27:04, ahead of Peter Maksimow in third (27:15). They were followed by Justin Ricks (27:39) and Carlos Ruibal (27:45).

After two races, Nichols leads the series with a total time of 50:31. Manitou Springs' Peter Maksimow is second (52:16), with Benjamin Hanson of Aurora in third at 53:04.

Elizabeth Schultz, who moved to Colorado Springs just two months ago, was the fastest female, finishing in 33:11. She is third in the series with a total time of 1:05:19, exactly one minute behind the leader, Crystal Goeckler. Connilee Walter is second at 1:04:21. Read more ...

Results ** Photos, Gallery 1 ** Gallery 2 ** Video, Start of Fall Series II ** Interview with Elizabeth Schultz 

FALL SERIES I

Results ** Photos, Gallery 1 ** Gallery 2 ** Video, Start of Fall Series 1 ** Alex Nichols vs. Monument Creek

FALL SERIES AWARDS: A standing ovation for Dave Sorenson