LAKEWOOD — The annual Horizon Runners Roost Invitational is one of the largest and, now in its 18th season, most enduring cross country races in Colorado.
Yet for many runners, it hardly is the most appealing event of the season. For one thing, the race is crowded, with nearly 800 high school athletes participating Tuesday at Addenbrooke Park. Moreover, the 5-kilometer course traditionally is slow, with two water crossings and a stretch along a dirt trail leaving many runners shaking their heads at their times while splattered in grime.
In this environment, Jen Lehr feels right at home.
The Kent Denver sophomore showed why she had been looking forward to this event all season, overtaking Ralston Valley freshman Nicole Hahn down the stretch to capture first place in the girls division with a time of 21 minutes, 30 seconds.
The Faith Christian duo of Sam Yeager and Evan Fortney took the top two spots in the boys division, finishing in 17:50 and 17:53, respectively.
“At the last water crossing, (Hahn) kind of stumbled, and I thought, ‘This is my chance,’ ” Lehr said. “It’s hard when your shoes get soggy, but this is my favorite course. It’s really the spirit of cross country. There’s a bunch of high school kids charging through the water, and they’re muddy, and the pictures from this race are always great because people just have this look on their face.”
Hahn certainly was stunned by Lehr’s late charge, yet she took solace in leading Ralston Valley to the top of the girls team standings, with the Mustangs recording three top-10 finishes to outpace runner-up Berthoud by 20 points.
Despite the dominance of Yeager and Fortney, it was Arvada West that ruled the boys team race, posting four top-20 finishes, including a third-place effort by junior Alex Nelson. Legend was second.
“When your shoes get wet, it’s hard to push it,” Fortney said. “But it’s great to see how even though it’s tough conditions, you can still have a great race.”
