The Durango Herald. October 8, 2007.

Runners conquer Animas Mtn.
Annual Mug Run returns, without rain
October 8, 2007 By Dale Strode Herald Sports Editor

The smiles matched the sunshine.

Even after running - trail running - up and down and around Animas Mountain for more than 6 miles, the intrepid trail runners managed relieved smiles Sunday morning as they crossed the finish line. One by one, they made their way back down the trail to the finish festivities, celebrating the end of the annual Animas Mountain Mug Run and the conclusion to the Alpine Bank Trail Series. For the record, the winners set blistering times on the 6.6-mile course, which was in perfect condition - a marked contrast to two weeks ago when the Mug Run was postponed because of horrendously soggy weather and, of course, mud.

"This was such great weather. I'm glad they didn't do it two weeks ago," said a smiling women's winner, Emily Baer of Silverton. "This was an experiment for me," said Baer, a decorated trail runner and adventure racer. She just completed the rigorous Moab Xstream Adventure Race last weekend. "I wanted to see how I would respond," she said. "It took awhile to warm up on the uphill. But it was good," she said, after finishing in 55 minutes, 41 seconds. Less than a minute back was Sarah Slaughter of Durango, who clinched the overall Alpine Bank Trail Series title with Sunday's second-place finish (56:23). Kristin Danielson of Durango was third in 1:00:06. "I knew I had to keep her (Sarah) in mind. Sarah's always fast," said Baer, who added that she appreciated the slightly warmer temperatures and lower elevations than she usually experiences on her training runs around Silverton. "It's nice to come down in elevation (to race)," she said.

Ben Hoffman of Durango found Sunday's trail race to his liking as well. And he, too, was coming off a physical test. Hoffman, a professional triathlete, won the Animas Mountain Mug Run in a staggering 44 minutes and 20 seconds, just one day after winning the Montrose Triathlon. The 24-year-old, who also won the Durango Triathlon earlier this summer, said he was curious how he would respond after Saturday's triathlon. "I had it in mind to take it easy, but I didn't want to lose contact (with the leaders)," Hoffman said as he recapped the race with second-place finisher Dave Heald. "I went out really fast," Hoffman said, adding that he struggled until he gradually worked into the race lead on the climb up Animas Mountain. "I thought he (Dave) would catch me," Hoffman said. "I heard him creeping up." Heald, the men's winner in the overall Alpine Bank Trail Series, credited Hoffman with an incredible time on the trail. "That's fast," Heald said. "That is fast."

Heald, too, was fast, finishing in 46:36, capping a stellar running season that saw him on the podium at virtually every venue. Heald won the Kennebec Classic in record time this summer. He finished third in the rugged Kendall Mountain Run. And, despite fighting an energy-sapping stomach flu, he finished ninth in the Imogene Pass Run. Heald, a recent honors graduate from Fort Lewis College, moved into trail running after starting as a middle distance prep runner in Portland, Ore. He ran track at Williams College in Massachusetts before turning to the trails of the Colorado Rockies. In addition to serving as the race that clinched his series title (for the second consecutive year), Sunday's Animas Mountain Mug Run also was special for Heald in one other way. "This race always reminds me of Marc," Heald said in reference to Marc Witkes, a prominent figure in the Durango running community for years before his death last year. "He (Marc) was such a part of these races he would have been here, helping out or running, or both."

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