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Christian Gering is quickest to finish line in Thirsty 13

Thirsty 13 sees over 400 participants
Fort Lewis College alum Christian Gering was all alone for much of the Thirsty 13. Gering came in first overall with a time of 1:12:04.75.

Before rain came, it was a perfect day of beer drinking and running for the third annual Thirsty 13 Half Marathon, as Christian Gering pulled away from the rest of the pack to win the event.

Gering’s time of 1 hour, 12 minutes, 4.75 seconds was a personal record for the Fort Lewis College alum. His time was 10 minutes better than his previous half marathon time.

“I was feeling great with some high spirits,” said Gering, who ran cross country for the Skyhawks from 2011-2014. “I enjoy being comfortable. I was running against all my friends, so it was good motivation with positive energy. It definitely kicked up the spirits to run a good race and PR. I had to adjust my stride, but I was still clicking off good paces for the mile splits.”

Gering, who is originally form San Felipe, New Mexico, ran at a 5:30-mile pace.

The 13-mile race began at Hesperus Church and ended at Ska Brewing with each race participant receiving a customized beer mug and beer at the finish line. The course is steady with a slow, 1,400-foot decline from start to finish with a few uphill challenges throughout the race. Gering took advantage of the declining terrain, as he literally ran through the soles of his shoes with blisters to show for it.

“My feet felt like I was running barefoot,” he said. “The course really hit hard right when we got to the road, which is around mile five. The fist part is all dirt with some countryside, so it was nice and cool in some shaded areas.”

The early morning temperatures ranged in the 50s by 8 a.m.

“All the locals seemed ready to go and were stoked about the weather,” said Gering. “The climate was just right.”

Durango native Anthony Kenkel took second place in 1:13:19.6. It was Kenkel’s first time competing in the event, and he was able stay within a 60-90 second range behind Gering.

“I love the downhill parts, it’s the uphill parts that killed me,” he said. “Christian’s a better uphill runner than me by leaps and bounds. I wanted to stay with him on the ups and reel him in on the downs, but every time I felt like I could reel him in, he pulled away from me again.”

With more than 400 participants Saturday, the beer was flowing just as fast as the racers came in.

“This is great, it’s perfectly put on,” Kenkel said.

Coming in first for the women was Selina Sekulic of Farmington, who ran the race for the first time. Sekulic crossed the finish line with a time of 1:24:35.55 with to claim fifth-place overall.

“The downhills were great, and the uphills were brutal,” said Sekulic, who maintained a steady lead ahead of the next female runner, who was Ashley Wagle of Pagosa Springs.

Wagle was eighth overall. This was the third time she came in second place in the women’s division. Her time was 1:27:16.70.

“I love it, this is why I do it,” said Wagle, who ran cross-country at the University of Colorado-Boulder. “There’s always a female who is super fast.”

Durango locals came in slews as Holden Rennaker came in third overall with a time of 1:21:27.77. Daniel Murray finished fourth in 1:24:30.37, and Morgan Galvin took sixth in 1:25:42.03. James Romero of Tajique, New Mexico, placed seventh in 1:26:49.23.

Coming in ninth place overall was Veronica Boches of Durango, who took third in the women’s category. Boches’ time was 1:29:22.84. Steven Montoya of Los Alamos, New Mexico took 10th overall with a time of 1:31:50.96.

jmentzer@durangoherald.com



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