DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Runners put their hands on their hearts during the singing of the national anthem before the start the Colfax Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Runners run past blooming flowers in Denver Zoo during the Colfax Half Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. Now in its 13th year, the Colfax Marathon Partnership is a nonprofit 501c3 with the mission of producing the premier marathon weekend in the Mountain West Region, committed to community, philanthropy, and fun. It is Denver's only marathon. ÊThe Kaiser Permanente Colfax Marathon weekend is the largest marathon weekend in the Rocky Mountains, with over 19,000 runners in 2017. Races include a marathon, half marathon, urban 10 miler, and a 5K. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Thousands of runners wait to start the Colfax Half Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Runner Roc Paez, from Orange County, California, raises his hands in the air as he finishes the Colfax marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Medals for the half marathon hang on wooden pole waiting to be given out to runners during Colfax Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Runners run past blooming flowers in Denver Zoo during the Colfax Half Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. Now in its 13th year, the Colfax Marathon Partnership is a nonprofit 501c3 with the mission of producing the premier marathon weekend in the Mountain West Region, committed to community, philanthropy, and fun. It is Denver's only marathon. ÊThe Kaiser Permanente Colfax Marathon weekend is the largest marathon weekend in the Rocky Mountains, with over 19,000 runners in 2017. Races include a marathon, half marathon, urban 10 miler, and a 5K. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: From left to right James Boyce, #5174, Steven Walden, #1643 and his wife Lauren, right, raises their hands in the air as they cross the finish line of the Colfax Half Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: A Greater one-horned rhinoceros eats hay not paying too much attention to the thousands of runners running through the Denver Zoo during the Colfax Half Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Runner Hannah Pate takes a selfie with an Asian elephant in the background as she ran through the Denver Zoo during the Colfax Half Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: A Gibbon ape watches from high above on a rope perch as thousands of runners run through the Denver Zoo during the Colfax Half Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Charles Bartel, #2018, raises his hands in the air as he crosses the finish line of the Colfax Half Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Curious Bactrian Camels look towards thousands of runners at the start the Colfax Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Runner Hannah Pate gets hugs from her friends after finishing the Colfax Half Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Malika Camacho, 36, winner of the women's Colfax half marathon, middle, stands with her son Ziad, 4, as she is flanked by second place finisher Amanda Scott, 30, right, and third place finisher Christine Hammond, 36, left after the race at the Colfax Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. Hammond is holding her 8 month old daughter Cynthia. Camacho finished in a time of 1:19:56. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Jenni Neville, 28, right, hugs her new fiancee Christo Landry after he proposed to her at the finish line of the Colfax half marathon on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. Neville finished her race in a time of 1:37:17. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Geese float in Ferril Lake early in the morning before the star of the Colfax Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. Now in its 13th year, the Colfax Marathon Partnership is a nonprofit 501c3 with the mission of producing the premier marathon weekend in the Mountain West Region, committed to community, philanthropy, and fun. Originally the race, created by the cities of Denver, Lakewood, and Aurora, was to recognize Colfax Avenue, the longest main street in America. It is Denver's only marathon. ÊThe Kaiser Permanente Colfax Marathon weekend is the largest marathon weekend in the Rocky Mountains, with over 19,000 runners in 2017. Races include a marathon, half marathon, urban 10 miler, and a 5K. In addition, the marathon relay has over 1,250 teams in Corporate, Government or Open divisions and is the second largest Marathon Relay in the US. As DenverÕs largest running event, the Colfax Marathon includes seven races over two days and a two-day Health & Fitness Expo at Mile High Stadium.Ê Each year, the Colfax Marathon is held the third Sunday in May. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Runners run through the Denver Zoo during the Colfax Half Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Runner Julie Frank takes a selfie with an Asian elephant in the background as she ran through the Denver Zoo during the Colfax Half Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Runners cross the finish line of the Colfax Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Runner Kevin Hannah, center, of Orlando, Florida, stays warm before the start of the Colfax Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Runners run through Denver Zoo during the Colfax Half Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. Now in its 13th year, the Colfax Marathon Partnership is a nonprofit 501c3 with the mission of producing the premier marathon weekend in the Mountain West Region, committed to community, philanthropy, and fun. It is Denver's only marathon. ÊThe Kaiser Permanente Colfax Marathon weekend is the largest marathon weekend in the Rocky Mountains, with over 19,000 runners in 2017. Races include a marathon, half marathon, urban 10 miler, and a 5K. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Runners begin their wave at the start the Colfax Half Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. Now in its 13th year, the Colfax Marathon Partnership is a nonprofit 501c3 with the mission of producing the premier marathon weekend in the Mountain West Region, committed to community, philanthropy, and fun. It is Denver's only marathon. ÊThe Kaiser Permanente Colfax Marathon weekend is the largest marathon weekend in the Rocky Mountains, with over 19,000 runners in 2017. Races include a marathon, half marathon, urban 10 miler, and a 5K. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
Runner Michael Bateman stretches before starting the Colfax Half Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver. (Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post)
A runner tries to stay warm as he looks over Ferril Lake early in the morning before the star of the Colfax Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver. (Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Scott Dahlberg, 33, from Laramie, Wyoming, wins the men's marathon in a time of 2:36:51 at the Colfax Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Runners start the Colfax Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Runners run past blooming flowers in Denver Zoo during the Colfax Half Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. Now in its 13th year, the Colfax Marathon Partnership is a nonprofit 501c3 with the mission of producing the premier marathon weekend in the Mountain West Region, committed to community, philanthropy, and fun. It is Denver's only marathon. ÊThe Kaiser Permanente Colfax Marathon weekend is the largest marathon weekend in the Rocky Mountains, with over 19,000 runners in 2017. Races include a marathon, half marathon, urban 10 miler, and a 5K. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Jenni Neville, 28, hugs and kisses her new fiancee Christo Landry after he proposed to her at the finish line of the Colfax half marathon on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. Neville finished her race in a time of 1:37:17. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
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DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Runners put their hands on their hearts during the singing of the national anthem before the start the Colfax Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Runners run past blooming flowers in Denver Zoo during the Colfax Half Marathon in City Park on May 20, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. Now in its 13th year, the Colfax Marathon Partnership is a nonprofit 501c3 with the mission of producing the premier marathon weekend in the Mountain West Region, committed to community, philanthropy, and fun. It is Denver's only marathon. ÊThe Kaiser Permanente Colfax Marathon weekend is the largest marathon weekend in the Rocky Mountains, with over 19,000 runners in 2017. Races include a marathon, half marathon, urban 10 miler, and a 5K. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
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By John Meyer | jmeyer@denverpost.com | The Denver Post
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:
Getting your player ready...
Five weeks ago, Emily Van Meter was one of more than 2,500 runners who required medical attention while running the Boston Marathon on a day of and headwinds that gusted to 25 mph.
On Sunday, she claimed redemption by winning the Colfax Marathon in two hours, 56 minutes and 51 seconds.
She achieved the goal she had set for herself at Boston before she passed out at mile 13 from hypothermia and was treated at a nearby firehouse: breaking three hours for the first time while posting a winning margin of 12 minutes.
“It was my second Boston, so I definitely knew what the course was like and I wanted to finish, but there are some things you can’t control,” said Van Meter, 25, a speech therapist who attended Cherry Creek High School and lives in Colorado Springs. “It was cold and freezing. This is definitely a better run.”
The men’s marathon was won by Scott Dahlberg, who coached track and cross country at Colorado State for five years before moving to the University of Wyoming last year. It was Dahlberg’s first marathon and he won it in 2:36:51.
His goal was to break 2:30 but a hamstring started cramping at mile 22.
“I almost took a couple of diggers, but ended up stretching through it,” said Dahlberg, 33, who was a five-time All American while running for Division II power Western State in Gunnison. “After like 23, it was just surviving.”
