Pikes Peak Region Trail Finder

Most kindergarteners pick up worms, pick in noses and pick around their vegetables.

Six years ago, Nathan Gipprich picked running. Saturday, 4-foot-10, 80-pound Gipprich, now 12 years old, finished fifth in the 5K Stocking Shuffle at Washburn Field with a time of 18 minutes and 41 seconds.

Don’t let his size fool you.

He began running when he was in kindergarten at Springs Ranch Elementary School after his gym coach noticed how fast he was.

He wasn’t supposed to be that fast at that age.

“When I was in third grade I beat everyone in the school in the mile, like sixth- and fifth-graders, too,” Gipprich said. “They were, like, stunned.”

Gipprich came in 1 minute and 2 seconds behind the race winner Andy Kinne, 36, who is sponsored by Boulder Running Co.

“It’s nice to be sponsored by a local company,” Kinne said. “I try to help spread running and be a positive role model.”

Seems to be working.

Gipprich and his mom, Mary, began running in road races four years ago after Mary’s mother died of cancer.

“We ran the 5K Run for Hope, and that got me into running -- just hearing the crowd when I was coming in and the excitement,” said Mary, who will be running her first marathon in July. “(Nathan) would always run ahead and wait for me at the finish-line. He’s always been the fastest.”

Gipprich is quickly becoming a seasoned runner.

The sixth-grader runs 20 miles a week, and a week ago he finished third at the Amateur Athletic Union National Championship in Orlando.

The Junior Olympian excels in baseball and hockey, too.

Saturday, he ran with 140 other runners to help support the Empty Stocking Fund for the less-fortunate.

Race Director Taylor Kelson said all proceeds go directly to the fund. He hopes that total will be around $3,000.

“El Pomar sponsors about 14 of these Pikes Peak charities,” the Colorado College sophomore said. “The Springs definitely needs that initiative and that kind of support. The Empty Stocking fund is successful in what they do and we are proud to support them.”

Mary, who finished in 26:50, said she was surprised to see a kid in kindergarten go out for runs. “We were kind of shocked, like, ‘whoa,’” Mary said. “'Cause me and my husband aren’t fast runners at all. But he just wanted to run.”

She and the Empty Stocking Fund are happy he did.