In a maxed-out field of 300, the inaugural Ultrasteam Thirsty 13 Half Marathon was a success Saturday morning, as runners of all ages embraced perfect temperatures for a 13-mile run that ended with a celebration of craft beer.
The course, designed by race director Matt Krichman, wound through a country setting, starting in Hesperus, then leading to the open pastures of County Road 125 and into Wildcat Canyon before breaking away onto County Road 210 for a rolling jaunt past Lake Nighthorse.
The morning was brisk – 52 degrees at 8 a.m. Fog softened hilltops in the distance.
Dropping into civilization at Bodo Industrial Park, there was one more hill before the finish line at Ska Brewing Co.’s world headquarters, where racers could fill their trophy beer steins with a complimentary cold one.
“It’s a great first-time race,” Krichman said of the full capacity. “It makes for one of the largest in Durango, if not the largest.”
He said while plotting the event, he was excited about taking runners past the lake setting.
“It’s a unique course that runners are really excited about,” he said. “It’s a beautiful area. Beautiful scenery, and no other race has ever gone through here.”
A little out of the way, County Road 210’s main attraction is Lake Nighthorse, its untouchable cobalt water and surrounding buttes a hot topic of late. But Saturday, it served as a serene backdrop to runners as they began their descent to the finish.
Jim Robertson said he’s lived in Durango 30 years and had never been down 210.
“It’s a lot prettier than I thought it was going to be,” he said.
Husband and wife Steven and Cate Fenster, who set the bars in their categories – 1 hour 15 minutes and 1 hour 23 minutes, respectively – both appreciated the Colorado vistas but agreed the downhill was tough.
“I really enjoyed it, but coming into Bodo was really steep. I was hurting,” said Steven Fenster, who works in the biology department at Fort Lewis College.
The Fensters met at a race in graduate school and have been running together ever since. Recently relocating to Durango, they now take advantage of the trails at their disposal.
“I love the trail running,” said Cate Fenster, a nurse at Mercy Regional Medical Center. “There are so many trails here.”
At the finish line, everyone said Krichman put on a good show. He just called it his passion.
“The formula for a successful race is not complicated,” he said. “Runners want a beautiful course and a fantastic celebration when they’re done.”
He added that the bonus ticket to the San Juan Brewfest in Buckley Park didn’t hurt racer registration incentive.
“Most races have beer,” he said, “but we have 50 breweries waiting to congratulate runners on this accomplishment.”
Ultimately, Krichman just likes to share his love for a sport.
“A day like this is the best day of the year for me,” he said. “This is what I live for.”
bmathis@durangoherald.com
