For first year pro duathlete Cindy Hazen (photo at left), this race was her opportunity to solidify her hold on first place in the point standings for the Mile-High Duathlon Series.
June 17, 2000 - Bennett, CO -Firefighters in the Colorado foothills welcomed the cold and rain, but for the competitors at the inaugural Big Sky Duathlon, the unpleasant conditions made this 2.5 mile run, 15 mile bike, 2.5 mile run quite a bit more than they'd expected.
Especially on the half-mile stretch of dirt road that they had to run across two-times during each of the run segments of the race. This stretch was in excellent shape just two days before the event, but 24 hours of rain had turned it into a sticky slippery mess!
For first year pro duathlete Cindy Hazen (photo at left), this race was her opportunity to solidify her hold on first place in the point standings for the Mile-High Duathlon Series.
Hazen took the series lead at the Barkin' Dog Duathlon in May, where she beat Boulder's Kerrie Wlad by 46 seconds. Wlad would not be competing today, however Jennifer Lee, who placed 6th at the competitive Barkin' Dog, put together a great opening run and started the bike just 15 seconds down on the favorite.
Hazen took control on the 15 mile bike course to start the second run with a comfortable 2-minute cushion, but even with that advantage, she negative split the second run to take the win in 1:18:40. Hazen now leads the Mile-High Duathlon Series with 20 points going into the final race - the July 1st Cabbage Head Duathlon.
Lee ran to a strong second place finish with a time of 1:21:44, while 41 year old Bennett resident Tammy Batterton grabbed third on her home course in 1:22:16.
In the men's race, Andy Ames (photo at right) and Dan Weiland took the first run out hard, with Andrew Holton and Ryan Ignatz following close behind.
Ames managed to pull away to a 12 second lead in the second half of the race, but he did most of the damage to the competition on the bike.
Entering transition with a lead of nearly 2 minutes, Ames shook out his cold fingers as he started the second run. Ames is known more for his running than his cycling, so his victory was never in jeopardy as he cruised to a 1:05:39 victory.
Holton was next into transition, but his fingers had grown numb on the 15 mile bike ride in rain and sub-50 degree temperatures. Like many competitors, Holton was forced to complete the second run with his helmet strapped to his head. Holton had entered the race in fourth place in the Mile-High Duathlon Series standings - Ames was third. With the top two point holders absent from today's race, this was their chance to move up in the standings, and improve their chances for a share of the $1,000 series purse.
Holton held on to second, to finish in 1:06:42. Ryan Ignatz passed Weiland on the bike to move into 3rd place, then held off the Vail resident on the second run to claim third in 1:07:02. Weiland, who drove down from sunny Vail the morning of the race, took fourth in 1:07:54 and said he never would have come if he had known what the weather was like in Bennett.
In fact, the weather did scare off many of the participants pre-registered for the first-year event.
The Big Sky Duathlon is the second race in the three-race Mile-High Duathlon Series organized by Racing Underground. The third race is the Cabbage Head Duathlon, scheduled for July 1st in Wiggins Colorado. The Mile-High Duathlon Series takes place in the small farming communities north and east of Denver, and offers a $1,000 overall cash purse as well as age-group awards. For more information on the Cabbage Head Duathlon, please visit the race website at www.racingunderground.com/cabbage00.html.
Plc Bib# Last First City St Age S Run-1 5K 30K Bike Run-2 5K Total Time === ==== ============= =============== =============== == === = ========== ========== ========== =========== 1 5 Ames Andy Boulder CO 37 M 1 12:37 2 39:10 4 13:52 1 1:05:39 2 48 Holton Andrew Aurora CO 32 M 3 13:13 3 40:07 2 13:22 2 1:06:42 3 49 Ryan Ignatz Berthoud CO 21 M 4 13:18 4 40:11 3 13:33 3 1:07:02 4 43 Weiland Daniel Vail CO 25 M 2 12:49 5 40:57 6 14:08 4 1:07:54 5 451 Martin Josh Aurora CO 28 M 5 14:09 8 43:54 5 14:07 5 1:12:10 6 444 Team AST Sport Berberick/C Lakewood CO T MF 42 17:55 1 38:46 41 17:51 6 1:14:32 7 459 Hartley Donald Denver CO 34 M 20 16:07 6 41:50 25 16:37 7 1:14:34 8 7 Stiehl William Boulder CO 36 M 10 15:10 9 44:10 14 15:28 8 1:14:48 9 29 Berge David Colorado Springs CO 45 M 11 15:10 10 44:56 12 15:16 9 1:15:22 10 3 Gilbert Jim Boulder CO 37 M 9 15:04 12 45:27 8 14:56 10 1:15:27 11 22 Edwards Kevin Boulder CO 43 M 12 15:20 11 45:07 13 15:26 11 1:15:53 12 469 Chapman Bryan Arvada CO 33 M 20 16:01 12 1:17:02 13 445 Team Miller-Be Beach/Mille Lakewood CO T MF 9 15:05 13 1:17:30 14 463 Sugiyama Eric Seattle WA 32 M 30 17:00 7 43:48 29 17:02 14 1:17:50 15 425 Hazen Cindy Littleton CO 35 F 21 16:11 14 46:44 18 15:45 15 1:18:40 16 14 Marsh John Kearney NE 41 M 19 15:59 16 47:03 17 15:42 16 1:18:44 17 12 Ward Jimmy Keenesburg CO 35 M 6 14:46 28 50:00 7 14:18 17 1:19:04 18 449 Guck Courtney Greeley CO 21 M 18 1:19:24 19 33 Marvin Allan Denver CO 51 M 35 17:36 19 1:19:50 20 2 Zacharias Eric Boulder CO 33 M 14 15:27 17 47:59 22 16:29 20 1:19:55 21 466 Swartz Scott Denver CO 33 M 15 15:31 26 49:41 10 15:15 21 1:20:27 22 35 Reece Mark Grand Junction CO 52 M 23 16:17 19 48:19 23 16:29 22 1:21:05 23 51 Cooper Kevin Thornton CO 28 M 24 16:27 23 49:01 19 15:49 23 1:21:17 24 467 Grimm Paul Denver CO 31 M 13 15:25 30 50:28 15 15:30 24 1:21:23 25 13 Sirotkin Steve Boulder CO 44 M 22 16:15 18 48:14 28 16:58 25 1:21:27 26 190 Lee Jennifer Ft. Collins CO 27 F 25 16:28 21 48:39 26 16:37 26 1:21:44 27 6 Dirks Larry Denver CO 39 M 33 17:16 15 46:51 42 17:51 27 1:21:58 28 9 Ealy Charlie Erie CO 37 M 39 17:41 36 51:53 1 12:31 28 1:22:05 29 454 Guerrero Joseph Aurora CO 29 M 24 16:30 29 1:23:07 30 433 Batterton Tammy Bennett CO 41 F 32 17:11 20 48:22 39 17:43 30 1:23:16 31 34 Stecher Mark Louisville CO 50 M 31 1:23:55 32 50 Cooper Bob Thornton CO 52 M 18 15:51 39 52:37 16 15:39 32 1:24:07 33 24 Martinez Danny Casper WY 41 M 17 15:49 33 1:24:21 34 465 Smith Doug Denver CO 34 M 50 18:19 13 46:07 57 19:57 34 1:24:23 35 438 Toepel Cindi Littleton CO 49 F 29 16:51 33 50:44 27 16:56 35 1:24:31 36 8 Carlisle Clark Loveland CO 39 M 8 14:54 48 54:24 11 15:15 36 1:24:33 37 30 Armstrong Paul Conifer CO 47 M 36 17:26 27 49:54 32 17:21 37 1:24:41 38 196 Van Pelt Rachel Westminster CO 29 F 34 17:24 29 50:03 40 17:45 38 1:25:12 39 447 Spradley Max Boulder CO 23 M 16 15:40 43 53:17 21 16:20 39 1:25:17 40 23 Harris-Quanqui Bruno Evergreen CO 41 M 28 16:47 22 48:46 58 19:57 40 1:25:30 41 11 Peterson Darien Denver CO 35 M 41 17:54 25 49:24 44 18:35 41 1:25:53 42 426 Hallenbeck Jacquie Denver CO 39 F 43 17:52 42 1:25:54 43 18 Palm Donald Highlands Ranch CO 43 M 26 16:33 45 53:26 34 17:33 43 1:27:32 44 456 Hoftiezer Scott Denver CO 29 M 30 17:09 44 1:28:01 45 431 Morrison Mary Denver CO 35 F 45 18:07 37 52:26 38 17:39 45 1:28:12 46 32 Mayer Randy Platteville CO 47 M 38 17:40 40 53:00 36 17:36 46 1:28:16 47 436 Whipple Carol Lakewood CO 42 F 35 17:25 35 51:10 55 19:51 47 1:28:26 48 450 Jackson Dustin Westminster CO 29 M 53 18:59 31 50:34 50 18:59 48 1:28:32 49 437 Summerhill Francis Englewood CO 46 F 54 19:04 24 49:06 64 20:24 49 1:28:34 50 45 Hazen John Littleton CO 39 M 37 17:38 44 53:25 37 17:37 50 1:28:40 51 448 Linstid Ben Ft. Collins CO 24 M 49 18:16 32 50:35 68 20:44 51 1:29:35 52 19 Gale David Brighton CO 40 M 48 18:14 38 52:31 51 19:04 52 1:29:49 53 440 Coen Bettie Denver CO 52 F 46 18:07 46 53:39 47 18:47 53 1:30:33 54 38 Tollin Douglas Gering NE 55 M 47 18:09 41 53:02 69 20:46 54 1:31:57 55 4 Herbst Mark Niwot CO 39 M 43 18:01 51 55:00 49 18:57 55 1:31:58 56 21 Bangert Mitch Denver CO 42 M 57 19:13 34 50:53 74 22:08 56 1:32:14 57 460 McClory Robert Nederland CO 32 M 48 18:56 57 1:32:16 58 185 Potter Mabs Boulder CO 27 F 56 19:11 50 54:40 46 18:39 58 1:32:30 59 192 Van Meter Erika Aspen CO 28 F 58 19:39 42 53:07 59 19:57 59 1:32:43 60 439 Heck-Doyle Janet Evergreen CO 46 F 52 18:54 47 54:19 53 19:41 60 1:32:54 61 461 Unkel Steve Parker CO 32 M 44 18:04 54 56:59 45 18:37 61 1:33:40 62 462 Carter Gary Englewood CO 31 M 59 19:45 49 54:24 60 20:18 62 1:34:27 63 16 Archuleta Mike Pueblo CO 41 M 54 19:43 63 1:35:14 64 199 Rowe Jennifer Englewood CO 32 F 62 20:21 64 1:35:36 65 452 Joy Matthew Boulder CO 28 M 60 19:59 52 55:20 63 20:22 65 1:35:41 66 36 Maddox Leo Casper WY 54 M 51 18:28 56 58:33 67 20:32 66 1:37:33 67 434 Palm Marci Highlands Ranch CO 44 F 27 16:33 57 59:56 71 21:04 67 1:37:33 68 40 Almon John Superior CO 56 M 63 20:08 53 56:00 72 21:34 68 1:37:42 69 17 Young Michael Aspen CO 40 M 62 20:03 55 57:34 61 20:19 69 1:37:56 70 457 Grimm Donald Denver CO 28 M 70 20:48 70 1:38:22 71 197 Bowers Bridget Lakewood CO 29 F 31 17:15 71 1:38:25 72 446 Wright Matt Cheyenne WY 22 M 7 14:51 61 1:04:57 52 19:33 72 1:39:21 73 46 Kostner Barbara Lakewood CO 51 F 75 22:58 73 1:39:24 74 195 Walter Wendee Lakewood CO 28 F 56 19:54 74 1:41:34 75 27 Gray Rob Aurora CO 49 M 31 17:07 64 1:07:33 33 17:24 75 1:42:04 76 435 Mayer Nancy Platteville CO 44 F 61 19:59 58 1:01:56 76 23:16 76 1:45:11 77 10 Fish Mike Arvada CO 39 M 55 19:07 65 1:08:17 65 20:27 77 1:47:51 78 191 Thayer Claire Avon CO 25 F 80 25:53 78 1:48:09 79 464 Menely Ron Littleton CO 31 M 77 23:41 79 1:50:46 80 428 Short LeeAnn Loveland CO 37 F 68 21:48 59 1:03:34 81 27:02 80 1:52:24 81 47 Yockey Alan Byers CO 47 M 40 17:53 67 1:14:54 66 20:30 81 1:53:17 82 52 Berquist Gail Marie Denver CO 51 F 65 21:10 66 1:12:07 73 21:35 82 1:54:52 83 189 Linstid Malinda Ft. Collins CO 24 F 69 22:36 60 1:04:14 84 30:27 83 1:57:17 84 31 Henson John Manitou Springs CO 46 M 70 22:50 63 1:07:26 82 27:03 84 1:57:19 85 424 Martin Amy Littleton CO 31 F 78 23:42 85 1:58:11 86 443 Skipp Betty Boulder CO 72 F 71 23:00 62 1:07:03 85 31:29 86 2:01:32 87 427 Gualberto Eileen Castle Rock CO 36 F 66 21:24 68 1:15:38 83 27:47 87 2:04:49 88 28 Henson Victor Englewood CO 48 M 88 2:04:55 89 44 Carter Karen Aurora CO 37 F 67 21:33 69 1:27:31 79 23:45 89 2:12:49 90 442 Evans Barb Arvada CO 60 F 86 43:26 90 2:17:18 91 42 Chang Robert Broomfield CO 26 M 92 26 Saffry Milton Denver CO 40 M 64 20:47