This weekend’s Great Candy Run will host a number of area elite athletes competing for cash prizes as part of its 5,000+ participant list. The 11th annual event is set for Denver’s Washington Park on November 9th. The event is presented by The Colorado Institute for Maternal and Fetal Health in conjunction with the University of Colorado Hospital, Children’s Hospital Colorado, and the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
Notable athletes include the following: Charles Hillig, Jr. who is a 2-time USATF National Half Marathon Championship Qualifier, Eric Greene who is an Ironman athlete, placing 2nd overall in the 2013 Colfax Marathon 10 miler, and Brianne Lippoldt Nelson who is a 2012 Olympic Trials competitor. Local Andy Rinne is one of the region’s top male athletes with a 5K personal record of 15:48 and a 4:32 mile. Lenny Laraio, who has become one of the state’s top masters runners, has a personal record of 2:48:33 in the marathon and was the 1st master in this year’s Broncos Back to Football 7K (competing with over 6000 participants). Kristen Arendt is an 11-time All-American at Adams State College, and 2012 Division II Outdoor Track National 5K Champion, current 2014 USATF Half Marathon Champion, and is the Great Candy Run defending Female champion.
“We are very happy to support, in a small way, our regional elite athletes. It is an honor to have the region’s top talent racing in our event. We are also humbled that our elite athletes will be interacting and engaging with our participants, including over 1,500 youth doing their first 5K, at our post-race family expo and at the finish line,” said Lonnie Somers, Race Director and Fetal Health Foundation CEO & Founder. “There are few events where you can participate along with elite level athletes and then interact with them after.”
Other elite athletes competing for top prize money include Annie Poland, a tri-athlete and runner who competes on the Runners Roost Triathlon Team. Recently she took 3rd place female at the Rock n Roll Denver Marathon and placed 1st in her age group at the Ironman Boulder with an amazing time (at altitude) of 10:40:22. Adam Rich who has more than 15 overall wins for 2014, celebrated his most recent triumph, with an incredible win at the Oktoberfest 8K (time of 26:07, four minutes faster than second place). Ryan Perrich looks forward to competing and hanging out with all of the kids afterwards. He loves to run and inspire others to experience what can be accomplished on two feet. He recently completed the Georgetown to Idaho Springs Half Marathon at 1:16 and the Bolder Boulder 10K with a time of 36:12. And finally, Tabor and Tyler Scholl have been racing for 6 years and are well known by their older elite counterparts, many times beating the area’s best. Tabor is this year’s State Cross Country 5000 2A Meter Girls Champion, Tyler currently is the Colorado Middle School State Cross Country Champion.
Registration for The Great Candy Run will begin at 8:45AM and the 5K at 10:00AM. To learn more about or register for The Great Candy Run, visit www.thegreatcandyrun.com.