BOULDER — Highland Ranch’s Cassie Slade was so concerned about racing too hard at the beginning of this year’s Bolder Boulder, she purposely positioned herself behind five rows of runners at the starting line.
“I started out more conservatively than I normally do,” she said. “I know so many people go out fast and die. I know I’d get caught up in the race too early, and then hurt myself in the end.”
It proved, indeed, to be an effective strategy. Slade, 26, was the top female in the citizens race Monday, winning her first Bolder Boulder in 35 minutes, 11 seconds. She improved significantly on last year’s time of 36:28, a race in which she finished as the fifth female overall.
Brian Medigovich, 22, of Alamosa, took the men’s citizens race in 30:14, his first Bolder Boulder. He graduated recently from Adams State and is fresh off setting personal bests of 13:29 for 5K and 28:40 for 10K.
“We were all together at the mile,” said Medigovich, who is seeking a professional running sponsorship. “We got to the hill, and I think I broke away a little bit, but not more than maybe three or four seconds. It was maybe three or four miles before I started gapping.”
Saul Mendoza of Austin, Texas, continued his dominant streak in the men’s wheelchair division, capturing his 12th victory in as many attempts. But he faced a significant challenge — “probably one of the toughest,” Mendoza said — from Scott Parsons of San Jose, Calif., who finished just three seconds behind.
“I made a hard push up the last hill and passed him, but gassed out,” Parsons said. “I gave it my shot, and it was the only shot I had.”
Tucson’s Shirley Reilly won her fifth women’s wheelchair race, a rebound after losing last year’s title by one second to Christina Ripp, who finished second this year.
“I was actually just outcoasting her,” Reilly said. “It makes it competitive” to have Ripp in the race.
