Pikes Peak Road Runners Winter Series race director Mike Shafai may have said it best: "There is a reason we call it the Winter Series."
While the temperatures had warmed to about 50 degrees, the remnant's of last week's snow storm turned the course for the Winter Series No. 3 5- and 10-mile runs into an something that would have been better suited for dog sleds.
The out-and-back course had about eight inches of snow at its northern turnaround points.
Still, there were some impressive times turned in by the top runners.
Justin Chaston (42, Colorado Springs) entered the Winter Series for the first time this yera and came away with the 5 mile victory. He clocked a time of 28:21. Michael Weiss (29, Colorado Springs), a professional triathlete sponsored by the Boulder Running Company, placed second in 29:21.
In the women's short course, the Colorado Running Club's Amanda Ewing (27, Colorado Springs) kept her Winter Series streak alive, winning for the third time in three series races. Ewing finished in 36:23. Mattie Jesmain (17, Pueblo West) was second at 37:28.
In the 10-mile run, Kenyan-born Augustus Maiyo, a 27-year-old Fort Carson Soldier, blew away the field to win in 1:00:04.
Air Force Academy cadet Brandon Hough, 20, was second in 1:03.
The Colorado Running Company's Connilee Walter (37, Colorado Springs) entered the series for the first time this year and won the women's 10-miler in 1:14:35. Series leader Stephanie Meredith (28, Colorado Springs), who runs for Runner's Roost, finished second in 1:16:31.