As a Colorado native who trains in Boulder, Rachael Rudel had been eagerly awaiting the day she received an invitation to compete in the Bolder Boulder.
When that opportunity finally arrived, Rudel couldn’t have been blamed if she had passed on the invite.
This week, Rudel’s brother is getting married in Hawaii. On Monday, more than 3,000 miles away, Rudel, with her brother’s blessing, toed the starting line at the 46th annual Bolder Boulder as part of Team USA. Rudel, a Fort Collins native and a former standout at Colorado State, became the top American finisher, using a gutsy late kick to surge into a third-place finish in the women’s pro race.
Rudel recorded a time of 32 minutes, 46 seconds, finishing 10 seconds behind runner-up Jesca Chelangat and 13 seconds behind women’s pro winner Rebecca Mwangi. Those top two runners were from Kenya, which ran away with the title of the International Team Challenge.
Rudel was part of a USA Red Team that also featured ninth-place finisher Kassie Parker. It was the second win in three seasons and the third overall for the Kenyan women in the International Team Challenge.
“I’m still in shock,” Rudel said. “You never know what you expect on race day. You just pray that you’re ready. Just proud to race for the USA.”
Rudel was running third behind Ethiopian Lemlem Nibret as the leaders hit the uphill climb into Folsom Field, but the former CSU star put together a dominant kick to overtake Nibret as they approached the Folsom Field entrance.
“My race plan is always make sure you stay comfortable,” Rudel said. “Especially these very, very difficult races, and especially when they’re in the double-digit Ks. You gotta race your race. You’ve got to stay calm. If you’re not calm, you crash at the end. I’ve crashed at the end too many times in races, and thatap when I started hating racing. I always love having that surprise kick at the end. I felt strong throughout the entire time, and I honestly probably should’ve kicked it in a little bit quicker. Sometimes you get a little too comfortable feeling real good in a difficult race.
“I gave it all I got and definitely think I raced my race. That’s all you can ask for.”
Upon entering Folsom Field, Rudel had a moment in which she considered flashing a Rams sign with her hands. Instead of rubbing it in to her old collegiate rivals, Rudel then wondered if it might look too much like a Buffalo sign, which would have dented the pride of a former CSU Ram. Instead, Rudel focused on her kick, which led to the strong finish.
Among the rest of the American runners, Biruktayit Degefa finished 10th, while former CU runner Sara Vaughn — last year’s winner in the citizen’s race — finished 11th. Molly Grabill, the winner of the women’s citizen’s race in 2023 and 2024, placed 13th.
“To be able to run the Bolder Boulder in my hometown, at my competitive college, there’s something that I can’t even explain,” Rudel said. “Itap beyond an honor. Itap something I can’t even explain and it makes me want to tear up. To be able to do it in the place where I found love for running, I don’t have words for it. I’m beyond blessed.”
