Category: Visit Fort Collins

Horse & Dragon Half Marathon & Pint Run (6/12/16)

6/16/2016

As you might guess if you've ever walked 1/8th of the way to Horsetooth Rock with us, TimCo & I don't run. To those of you who did -- of all ages -- in costume and not -- for 13.1 miles or for 1.6 last Sunday -- thanks for including us in your running culture for the morning. It was awesome and impressive.

8 million thanks to Betsy Fisher & Steve Cathcart for planning and executing the whole thing, to Book Trust for being a generally awesome and A-1 charity partner, to Patrick Bols & Jimmie Hinkle for letting me use some of your photos, and to the companies who sponsored it (see below) so that Book Trust kids can choose & own books next school year. And a shout-out to the FoCo Police Department for making it all work despite Ma Nature's best efforts during runoff season. (Possibly the first tag-in/tag-out 1/2 marathon in the US? Hang on. There's real terminology for this; let me look at Betsy's email. "Transition crossing" with "timing out" and "timing in".)

A few fun stats: 346 total participants signed up representing 4 countries (woohoo howdy, you folks from Colombia!) and 16 states. There were 221 finishers in the Half Marathon and 84 finishers in the Pint Run.

Here are some moments captured by Jimmie and Patrick. (And a couple by me. Yes, I took a picture of a purse.) There are more posted on the event page. With my amazing web skills, I cannot make the captions stay where they should be so please try to sort it out if you're reading them!

Cheers and congrats to all of you healthy and happy folk. Thanks for registering, running, and relaxing afterward, and for contributing to Book Trust. If you'd like to attend a Book Trust book delivery one day next school year in FoCo or Denver, give us a holler via email at info@hdbrew.com.

Did not know that if only I could run, I could cross this type of finish line.

Many thanks to Kristine McAuliff & Linda Mitchell of Book Trust, who came up from DEN to participate (Here's Kristine pacing behind the awesome Scholastic Books books table before all you runners got here.)

Some of the wonderful NoCO Book Trust board members -- Joanna, Michele, & MaryPat -- serving up #freshtastycraftbeer. Next year, a photo of Holly, who was carding y'all, too!

So here's the start of the 1/2. We missed this. Love our landscape, and all you runners.

Lean left!

HUGE SHOUTOUT TO CASA DEL MATADOR in the Foothills Mall. If you've not been there, go there. Great food. And they donated all your burritos, without any questions, to support Book Trust.

When I saw you could check a box to get a medal (mind you, as previously stated, I wasn't registering to RUN), I wondered which on earth adult would want such a thing. And then I saw these. Hello! Amy Hayman (local artist/potter) is amazeballs, clearly. And I need a link to her webpage, but I cannot find it.

Sustenance!

Some people seriously RAN the pint run. I mean. Timothy Cruz finished in 10:21, and Jennifer Lee finished in 11:43 PUSHING A STROLLER. [These, BTW, are course records. Heh heh heh.] Some guy (Paul Stein) finished the half in 1:19:46, and some gal (Susan Cundiff) finished it in 1:37:31. The mind spins.

Strolling is also good. Especially if you can pull off these guys' style while doing so.

These people. You would think they are plants by us. But they are just good people, supporting folks. Thanks to them for taking us along on the run!

Linda (left, of Book Trust) and Sister Amy (green tutu) workin' the Pint Run.

Some spectators dressed up, too. Would love to have posted the very overwhelmingly cute photos of 3 towheads & Dad cheering on Mom (complete with poster) but I figure not all parents want their offsprings' faces posted online....

Race organizer....

Ken wore a silk jacket (with dragon design) and ran fast enough to make it billow out like dragon's wings. Extra credit.

MIRAMONT!
Provided transport from here to there and everywhere. If you work out (and I know you do, because we saw y'all buffed out and whatnot), check out their climbing wall up here by H&D. As well as all their other facilities, o'course.

Karen & Sharon
& Claire & Abby & Chad.

Vicky Boyd (of our across-the-street-neighbor Jo Boyd Offspring fame) showing how it's done when you travel from sea level at the last minute.

MoTD, with her 2 granddaughters (sorta').

Not to out Heather as fashion-forward, but her fancy bag matches her running shoes.

I'm fairly certain this guy on the left won the half. Or at least, transformed himself from my size to his in the last 18 months and ran like crazy. Plus, has good friends.