Runners in the 2013 American Discovery Trail Marathon and Half Marathon were on the move before sunrise on Monday.
The marathon field began its journey at Palmer Lake. It’s destination - America the Beautiful Park - was 26.2 miles away in Colorado Springs.
Robby Young, 28, of Colorado Springs, who runs for the Boulder Running Company/Adidas team, won the men's race with a time of 2 hours, 32 minutes and 18 seconds. He had planned to do a lonely 22-mile workout by himself, but couldn’t pass up the opportunity to add four miles and run in a race, with aid stations and prize money. He won $1,000. Justin Ricks (33, Colorado Springs) was second in 2:38:03, followed by Trent Briney (35, Boulder) in 2:43:07.
In the women's race, Boulder runner Courtenay Brown said she put the hammer down early in the American Discovery Trail Marathon. Her courageous decision worked. Brown, 34, had never run a marathon, but she won on Sunday in Colorado Springs, covering the mostly gravel course in 3 hours, 7 minutes, 8 seconds. Shannon Husted of Boulder finished second in 3:14:36. Serene Griffin (43, Northlake, Texas) filled out the podium with a third-place run of 3:23:24.
Half marathon runners started in America the Beautiful and ran north on an out-and-back route on the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail through the center of Colorado Springs.
Colorado Springs' Curtis Suver played it safe through Mile 7 of half, then found another gear as the course sloped gradually downhill. He charged to the win in 1 hour, 13 minutes and 53 seconds. He said his big goal is to keep up with his wife, Mattie Suver, who placed second in Monday’s USA Track and Field 20K Championships. Mattie finished second in 1:10:25.
Phillip Keller, 33, of Albuquerque, N.M., finished second in 1:15:19. Colorado Springs' Pat McGuire, 31, was third in 1:16:46.
In the women’s race, Stephanie Wurtz of Colorado Springs won for the second consecutive time. She finished in 1 hour, 30 minutes and 59 seconds, nearly three minutes better than her winning time of a year ago. Debbie Patskowsi (35, Highlands Ranch) finished second in 1:33:29, with Christna Gallagher giving chase at 1:33:59 for third.