In preparation for the Bolder Boulder, Patrick Kiprop of Kenya ran the course Saturday.
“I was like, ‘Itap kind of easy,’” he said.
He had a different view of the course Monday, but nevertheless found a way to conquer it, earning top individual honors in the men’s International Pro Team Challenge at the 46th Bolder Boulder.
“Man, it was tough,” he said. “I didn’t expect it to be tough like this. … When I raced today, it was hard. The heat, the course itself. Itap kind of hilly all the way to the finish line.”
Kiprop finished in 28 minutes, 35 seconds, the 12th-best time in the history of the Bolder Boulder men’s pro race. Itap the eighth-best time by a champion.
His teammate, Daniel Ebenyo, was second, in 29:06. Kiprop’s 31-second margin of victory is the largest since 2000.
“I train here, so itap a big win for me,” said Kiprop, who has been training in Boulder for seven months. “Itap a hometown win for me. I train here in Boulder and winning at home is good.”
Aiden Reed from the USA White team was third, in 29:17. Casey Clinger from USA Red was fourth (29:33), with Graydon Morris from USA White placing fifth (29:35).
Led by Kiprop and Ebenyo, Kenya was the top team, winning for the first time since 2016. Kenya, which scored 10 points, has won five times since 2002. The USA White team was second, with 17 points. The USA Red team was third, with 28 points.
“I think my teammates were doing good today,” said Kiprop, who was a five-time first-team All-American at Arkansas. “They are tough guys. I know we did really well today.”
Kiprop said “it was kind of hard” to train when he first got to Boulder because of the altitude, but, “Now I’m fully adjusted to it. … I will be coming back next year.”
Reed, meanwhile, has had a steady progression to Monday’s result.
In 2023, he entered the citizen’s race and “jogged” throughout the course. The next year, in 2024, he won the citizen’s race, in 30:02, the fourth-best time ever for a citizen.
Last year, he was a part of the Pro Team Challenge for the first time, placing fifth in that race (29:06). On Monday, he was the top finisher from the U.S.
“It went really well. I’m really tired,” he said. “I wanted to finish in top three. I was fifth overall last year and I won the citizen’s race in 2024, so I wanted to be top three. I wanted the podium and I’m really excited.”
A Montana native who graduated from Southern Utah, Reed joined the Roots Running club in 2021 and moved to Boulder.
“To be the first U.S. finisher and to do it in front of my home crowd is such a privilege,” he said. “Itap such a great community.”
Conner Mantz, who won the previous three Pro Team Challenge races, was in attendance Monday but did not race because he’s still recovering from an injury. That left the door open for others, and Reed gave credit to Kiprop for his performance.
“Patrick is so good,” Reed said. “He was the favorite in my mind. He won (the AJC Peachtree Road Race) a year ago and he looked so good. He’s incredible.”
Kiprop took home $11,000 in prize money, while Ebenyo won $7,000 and Reed $5,000. Kenya earned $7,500 for taking first in the team standings, while USA White won $3,600.
