Pikes Peak Region Trail Finder

Colorado runners are expected to be among the top finishers at this Sunday's Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay.

What a lovely place!

Four Olympic marathoners and other top distance runners - including Kelly Calway of Manitou Springs (above) and Mario Macias of Alamosa - will vie for a $20,500 purse, the largest offered for a half-marathon in California.

"This is by far the strongest field we've ever hosted," race director Wally Kastner told runnersweb.com.

That's likely because the Olympic marathon trials are in January and Big Sur provides a good training race. And a prize money never hurts.

Joining Macias among the top men running Sunday are: Benson Cheruiyot, Benard Langat, Fred Mogata Tumbo, Michael Aish, Abdelazia Atmani, Jesus Campos, and Daniel Tapia.

Tumbo currently holds the fastest time in this year's field at 1:01:14.

Calway, the 2008 Army athlete of the year, will compete in the 2012 U.S. Olympic marathon trials. She was runner-up at Big Sur last year. Joining her this year among the top women runners are: Belainesh Gebre (her 2010 winning time: 1:09:43) Canadian Olympian Lisa Harvey, and U.S. Olympic marathoners Magdalena Lewy Boulet and Blake Russell.

The world record for the 13.1-mile distance is 58:23 for men and 1:05:50 for women.

Mario Macias of Alamosa on his way to winning the 2011 Pikes Peak Ascent.