“Of the five athletes inducted into the 2014 class of the Colorado Running Hall of Fame, three enjoy roots in mountain and trail running. The class was introduced at the Denver Athletic Club on the evening of April 9, by emcee Creigh Kelley, with a special keynote address by Olympic gold medalist Frank Shorter.

Shorter’s address focused on the community of running. “We support each other, we really do. Competing is one thing, but when we turn the switch off, we’re friends,” said Shorter.”

Frank Shorter named keynote speaker at the Colorado Running Hall of Fame at the Denver Athletic Club

March 31, 2014 / tramsdell

Via Athlete Promotions

Olympic Gold Medalist Frank Shorter will be the keynote spacer at the Colorado Running Hall of Fame at the Denver Athletic Club on April 9. The event is being held to induct the 2014 Colorado Running Hall of Fame class of 2014. Shorter is a member of the inaugural Colorado Running Hall of Fame class of 2007. Tickets to the event are $25.

Shorter won the U.S. national cross-country championships four times (1970, 1971, 1972, 1973). He was the U.S. Olympic Trials Champion in both…

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Mountain runner Simon Gutierrez bound for the Colorado Running Hall of Fame

March 31, 2014 / tramsdell

Via Pikes Peak Sports

When Simon Gutierrez considers his running career he doesn’t think of his three wins in the Pikes Peak Ascent, or the seven times he ran as a member of the USA World Mountain Running Championship team. It’s not about his three world championships as a masters mountain runner.

Gutierrez remembers the people who contributed to his success. And he talks about having fun and enjoying the experience.

“I think I’m pretty relaxed about running,” he said. “I’m dedicated to it, but not to where I worry about it all the time. If I have a bad race, I don’t let it affect me. I just move on to the next one. You know I just try to have a lot of fun with it…

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Colorado Running Hall of Fame Announces 2014 Inductees

March 31, 2014 / tramsdell

Via Colorado Runner Magazine: Colorado Running Hall of Fame Announces 2014 Inductees

The Colorado Running Hall of Fame Selection Committee announces the 2014 inductees into the Colorado Running Hall of Fame: Constantina Diţă, Simon Gutierrez, Anita Ortiz, Rick Trujillo, and Priscilla Welch. The 8th annual induction ceremony and reception will be held on Wednesday, April 9th at the Denver Athletic Club. Olympic running legend Frank Shorter, an inductee in the inaugural 2007 class, will be the keynote speaker. The Colorado Running Hall of Fame recognizes Coloradans for their remarkable achievement and influence on the sport of distance running.

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Running USA: Colorado Running Hall of Fame -Priscilla Welch, Constantina Dita among class that will be inducted in Denver on Wednesday, April 9

March 31, 2014 / tramsdell

Via Running USA: Colorado Running Hall of Fame Announces 2014 Inductees

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Colorado Running Hall of Fame names five for 2014 class

March 31, 2014 / tramsdell

Via The Denver Post/ John Meyer: Colorado Running Hall of Fame names five for 2014 class

“Three mountain runners are included in the eighth class of inductees into the Colorado Running Hall of Fame, which will be honored on April 9 at the Denver Athletic Club.

Simon Gutierrez, Anita Ortiz and Rick Trujillo, who all had outstanding careers in mountain running, will be joined by Constantina Dita, who won the women’s marathon at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and Priscilla Welch, who won the New York City Marathon in 1987.”
Read more: Colorado Running Hall of Fame names five for 2014 class – The Denver Post
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Constantina Diţă

March 10, 2014February 22, 2015 / tramsdell

Constantina Diţă is one of the most successful Romanian athletes of all-time, currently holding the Romanian national road records for the 5K, 10K, 15K, Half Marathon and the Marathon.

Winning her gold in the 2008 Beijing Olympics

Winning gold in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Photo courtesy constantinadita.com

Diţă finished 20th in the marathon at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens and went on to win the Chicago Marathon later that year, running a personal best of 2:21:30. After winning the marathon bronze at the 2005 World Championships, she became the World Half Marathon Champion. She won a silver medal at the 2006 IAAF World Road Running Championships and took third place at the 2007 London Marathon. In her career highlight, Diţă won the women’s marathon at the 2008 Summer Olympics in 2:26:44, becoming the oldest Olympic marathon champion in history (male or female) at age 38. She lives and trains at altitude in Boulder and continues her running career, competing the marathon at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

2014 Colorado Running Hall of Fame:

Simon Gutierrez

March 10, 2014February 22, 2015 / tramsdell

Simon Gutierrez is versatile athlete as a three-time member of the USA National Cross Country team, an Olympic Trials qualifier in the marathon, and is a seven-time member of the USA National Mountain Team. He is a three-time World Masters Mountain Overall Champion (2006, 2007, and 2008) and has won the La Luz mountain race in New Mexico a record eight times. He is a three-time Champion in the Pikes Peak Ascent as well as Mt. Washington Road Race. Gutierrez is also a mountain representative to the USATF Mountain, Ultra, and Trail Running Council and in 2005 he was named the USATF Mountain Runner of the Year. Now 48, Gutierrez is enjoying a career as a physical therapist in Colorado Springs.

2014 Colorado Running Hall of Fame:

Anita Ortiz

March 10, 2014February 22, 2015 / tramsdell

Anita Ortiz started racing at age 36, building her career in Mountain Running, Ultra Running and

Photo via ultrachixunite.com

snowshoe racing, competing in over 200 races and breaking 55 records in just nine years. She has competed on the U.S. Mountain Running team five times, placing highest U.S. finisher four times. She was the Mountain Running National Champion in 2002 and 2003 as well as the Masters Mountain Running World Champion in 2004. She’s won the Pikes Peak Ascent three times, setting and holding the record time for five years in 2002 in 2:44:33. Ortiz was also the National Snowshoe Champion in 2002 and runner-up in 2004. She was named the USATF Female Mountain Runner of the Year in both 2002 and 2003 and the USATF Female Masters Mountain Runner of the Year in 2004. A kindergarten teacher and mother of four, Anita is still active in the racing community, serving as Board member for the All American Trail Running Association, the United States Snowshoe Association, and coaching elementary students on the Eagle Valley Elementary Running Team.

2014 Colorado Running Hall of Fame:

Rick Trujillo

March 10, 2014February 22, 2015 / tramsdell

Rick Trujillo is considered a pioneer in the sport of mountain running, earning his reputation as an

Rick Trujillo 1977– Pikes Peak Marathon, on the Golden Stairs

elite and unconventional runner over his long career. Trujillo enjoyed an early cross-country running career in high school and college, but later preferred mountain running. He is a five-time champion of the Pikes Peak Marathon, holding the course record from 1973-1982. He founded the Imogene Pass Run, winning the race several times and holding the course record from 1974-1985. In 1995, at age 47, Trujillo ascended Colorado’s 54 14,000-foot peaks in record time of 15 days, nine hours, and 55 minutes. He also won the Hardrock 100 Mile Run (66,000 feet of ascent and descent with average elevation of 11,000 feet) in 1996. Trujillo has never yielded to traditional training conventions, making his achievements that much more impactful.

2014 Colorado Running Hall of Fame:

Colorado Running Hall of Fame

Celebrating the sport of distance running

Members

Mountain Runners Dominate Colorado Running Hall of Fame

Frank Shorter named keynote speaker at the Colorado Running Hall of Fame at the Denver Athletic Club

Mountain runner Simon Gutierrez bound for the Colorado Running Hall of Fame

Colorado Running Hall of Fame Announces 2014 Inductees

Running USA: Colorado Running Hall of Fame -Priscilla Welch, Constantina Dita among class that will be inducted in Denver on Wednesday, April 9

Colorado Running Hall of Fame names five for 2014 class

Constantina Diţă

Simon Gutierrez

Anita Ortiz

Rick Trujillo