It’s a good year for Ellen Hart.
The ex-wife of former Mayor Federico Peña was a runner when she was married — and she’s still running. And swimming. And biking.
She’s just back from the Ironman in Hawaii, where she finished the grueling race in 10 hours, 36 minutes, 19 seconds — and first in her 50-54 age category.
“It was great, a pinnacle moment,” she says. “I have been in sports a very long time, but this was a humongous team effort. And it was about 104 degrees. Lengthy and hard and hot.”
First you swim, then you bike, then you run — and running is where Hart won the race. “It’s my favorite part,” she says, as if there can be a favorite part to the Ironman.
She has a half-Ironman coming up Nov. 13 in Clearwater, Fla., which will feel like the proverbial piece of cake. Then she gets married Dec. 27 in Albuquerque to Rob Woodruff.
She’ll call herself Ellen Woodruff Hart. And that’ll tie a bow on a very good year.
Ask Alice.
There is some star power coming to Wednesday’s opening night of the Starz Denver Film Festival at the Ellie. “The Rabbit Hole” will screen, and it stars Aaron Eckhart (along with Nicole Kidman).
Eckhart will walk the red carpet and accept the Excellence in Acting Award. You know him from “The Dark Knight,” “No Reservations” and, my favorite, “Thank You for Smoking.” Then he’ll head to the Seawell Ballroom for the Opening Night Party.
Instant replay!
Jerry Seinfeld‘s people are coming to Denver today through Sunday looking for couples to appear on “The Marriage Ref” on NBC. Send an e-mail to joe@themarriageref.tv to schedule a meeting.
The sked: Southwest Plaza and 16th Street Mall at Welton today; Park Meadows Retail Resort on Saturday; and Sheraton Hotel Denver on Sunday.
Fore!
It’s not your father’s Four Seasons. Not for Halloween, anyway.
The new hotel, which opened Oct. 19 at 1111 14th St., features a ground-floor bar/restaurant called Edge — and it looks like it wants to get edgy.
On opening weekend, it was filled with post-party cowboys and zombies. Saturday night promises to be just as spooky: A flier tells us “Don’t be scared” above a picture of a hostess with a knife aimed perilously close to a cook’s, er, pots and pans. “Come and experience the Playful side of Edge,” it says, promising live DJs “providing music to raise the dead,” specialty martinis with rabbit themes, Halloween Susie Rolls, costume prizes and “Edge girls in sexy Playboy bunny costumes.”
At the Four Seasons? Playboy bunnies? DJs?
“We’re trying to be more contemporary,” says mouthpiece Dana Lauren Berry. “More fun, more of a hot spot. People are loving Edge.”
City spirit.
Night at the Museums takes place from 5 to 10 p.m. Nov. 6 at 18 museums in town. How cool is that? Check it out at denverartsweek . . . Sez who: “I’m convinced that every boy, in his heart, would rather steal second base than an automobile.” Tom Clark
Bill Husted’s column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Friday. You can reach him at 303-954-1486 or at bhusted@denverpost.com. Take a peek at Husted’s next column at .
