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Photo by Bob Kane, Design Photography
By NEAL REID, THE GAZETTE
It was a day of impressive feats at the fifth annual Canya Canon 6K at North Cheyenne Canon Park on Sunday.
Peter Maksimow broke the 30-minute barrier in setting a new course record of 29 minutes 47 seconds, and 12-year-old Kayli Tabares edged Amanda Ewing by a shoulder for the women’s title. More than 200 runners participated in the race, which began at the Lower Columbine Trailhead near the Starsmore Discovery Center and finished at the Upper Columbine Trailhead next to Helen Hunt Falls.
Check out a photo gallery from the race!
Maksimow – who works for the nonprofit Running USA and Colorado Running Company – finished 1:15 ahead of Gerald Romero (31:02), who had won the past two Canya Canon 6K races. Brad Poppele was third in 33:54.
“It’s a great course and is challenging,” said Maksimow, who celebrated with a beer after the race. “This is the first time I’ve run this race. There are some big climbs and big descents that are all on an uphill slope, so it feels like you’re just going up and down the whole time.
“I went out trying to run a fast time, so I went hard from the beginning. I came into the race thinking I wanted to run under 30 minutes, so that was the goal.”
The popular Romero was impressed by Maksimow’s time.
“Peter was just unbeatable today,” he said.
Tabares and Ewing came into the downhill switchbacks neck and neck, with Tabares nipping Ewing at the finish line. They both finished with times of 40:40 – good for 25th overall – with Jaclyn Roberson taking third in 41:21.
“It was pretty hard, especially the uphills,” said Tabares, a sixth grader at Russell Middle School. “(Amanda) was pushing me on the uphills, because I started slowing down. We like to go hiking around here during the summer, so I knew the area.
“It’s great (to win), and I’m surprised that I did that.”
Ewing was eager to encourage and motivate Tabares as the two navigated the course’s tough inclines, because she is impressed with the youngster’s talent.
“It was inspiring,” Ewing said of Tabares’ performance. “It was fun watching that, and that’s what racing is all about.”
The race benefits the Friends of Cheyenne Canyon and its approximately 500 members in their efforts, which include replacing the visitor’s center at Helen Hunt Falls. |
