Date Set for 2014 Santa Fe Run Around

Our event permit has been approved and the date is set for the 36^th edition of the Santa Fe Run Around - Saturday May 17^th, 2014, 8am start. Registration is $25, $22 for Striders Club members, and just $5 for runners/walkers 19-under.

Registration is open at newmexicosportsonline and Active.com. In-person registration will soon be available at the Running Hub and flyers available for download.

Further Results - 2013 Santa Fe Run Around

Santa Fe's Ben Fletcher

Okay, catching up on how everything went down on Saturday. We saw a lot of happy people, a lot of people getting after it, really pushing themselves and putting in some work on that deceptively tough incline up Alameda. We saw a lot of ladies in pink out with their friends and buddies, completing their graduation event after several weeks of group runs leading up to this. We saw a lot of folks participating in the 5K walk who were also fantastic cheerleaders and motivation builders for those trying to hold pace. We even saw some little people towing around their parents from their stroller seats. Love the ambition.

In general, we saw a lot of people and that's partly because we saw a 30% increase in finishers from last year's race. I know we had more Girls on the Run participants (105 ladies in pink!), and we had an increase of more than 50% in our 19-under age groups. Terrific momentum we'll see if we can carry into next year.

Alright then, let's break down our finisher's list:
In the 5K, Santa Fean Ben Fletcher defended his title, winning his fourth career Run Around championship in a swift 16min 58sec; Los Alamos' Roy Collins ran runner-up (19:26), and Santa Fean Eduardo Ochoa ran third in (20:24). Local Marianne Kos claimed the championship platter in the women's overall in a time of 21:33. She was chased home by Santa Fe's Katie Gordon in second (22:11), and Taylor Bacon in third (22:22). Taylor, incidentally, ran to two state championships and a runner-up last week for Desert Academy at the NM State Track & Field Championships. Outstanding that she could make it out to compete at the Run Around as an encore. Masters champions were Marianne and Pena Blanca's Tino Pacheco (21:19).

Over in the 10K, a trio of locals lead by Francisco Romero swept the podium spots, Romero claiming this year's title in 37min 56sec, Gray Lloyd runner-up (38:19), and Antonio Lopez in third (38:43).  Albuquerque runner Ruth Senior (an All-American while at UNM) ran to the women's overall in (40:09), followed by defending champion Liz Lopez of Santa Fe in second (43:56), and Santa Fe's Medora Allison in third (47:55).  Masters champions were Ted Romero of Los Alamos in (40:16) and Santa Fe's Laura Bacon (50:27). The Bacon family taking names it seems.

Luminaries and Names of Note
There are of course several hundred other names in the results' lists and I thought I should pull a few out to highlight the credentialed athletes and other names of note: The one collegiate All-American, Ruth Senior; Several prior NM state champions including Taylor Bacon (5K), Antonio Lopez (10K), Kiara Glover (5K), and Maria Prentice[Moriarity] (10K); 2:25 marathoner Ben Fletcher; Champion area marathoner Marianne Kos; Top area marathoner Amanda Cola; Long-time area greats Chris Chavez, Alice Temple, Vince Hesch, Ted Freeman, Ted Williams, and Ed Scott. We even see a few representatives from the city making it count, including City Director of Public Works Isaac Pino and city attorney Geno Zamora. And of course the many Striders Club members, graduates of our Running 101 program, and several runners that came up from Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Espanola, and as far away as Highlands Ranch, CO.

Terrific run by everyone. We hope to see you out again next May!

Max was photographing the event and has uploaded his images to the Striders Smug Mug page where you can browse and purchase photos of the race - and several other area races from the last year. Max is awesome and you should definitely give him a high-five if you see him out. You're awesome Max!

Results:

 - 5K Overall

 - 5K by Age Group

 - 10K Overall

 - 10K by Age Group

RESULTS

Fine job to everyone - Runners, walkers, all the Girls in Pink today and their awesome buddies and coaches, to our fantastic group of volunteers, Santa Fe Rotary, Jim Owens our race director, and to our many wonderful sponsors that help us pull this together each year.

We had a terrific turnout of runners today. A beautiful morning to be outside. Photos and a race commentary to come, but for now -

Results:

 - 5K Overall

 - 5K by Age Group

 - 10K Overall

 - 10K by Age Group

Note:  We've been notified of at least one correction in the results and think it's likely there may be one or two more minor fixes. In their current form they should be considered preliminary results (as of 5/20).

Additional Note:  Any age-group winners that did not receive their trophy-cup after the race may pick them up at The Running Hub.

The Evening Before...

It's actually two days before the race but things are building to a point here, so a few last minute items: Online registration is closed as of today at noon. In person registration is ongoing at The Running Hub today and tomorrow, as well as race day registration on the Plaza from 700-745am. Packet pickup will be operating tomorrow from noon to 530pm at The Running Hub. Come by and save yourself a bit of time and hassle on Saturday morning. Chat it up with a few of our volunteers, and check out the season's new shoes and running gear.

The Kids K is scheduled for 930am-ish, two whole laps around the Plaza. There is no cost but registration forms (waivers) need to be filled out before race time for each runner.

What else? Striders logo shirts, visors, and caps will be available for Club members that haven't yet received them. For those who want an extra because of their awesomeness, or for thoughtful gifts, or for non-members who need the newest and latest gear, arrangements can be made to purchase them. I'm not certain whether we'll be set up to sell them on the spot but stop by the table and inquire within.

Remember that parking meters begin ticking at 8am. Bring enough coins to load a couple of hours on that thing ($2). There's also the city parking garages two blocks west on San Francisco St, a block south on Water St, two blocks north at the Santa Fe Convention Center, or two blocks east at Alameda and St. Francis Cathedral.

The weather looks to be perfect on Saturday morning. The field looks to be well above our average turn-out; We've got a count of about 100 Girls on the Run participants according to Alice and Marissa; We've got eleven plus Running 101 graduates set to line up; We look forward to seeing you all out there and best of luck to all who toe the starting line!



View Santa Fe Run Around - 5K/10K in a larger map

Highlight on two of our New Race Sponsors

This year's Run Around has attracted the support of several new sponsors. All of our wonderful sponsors help shoulder the upfront event costs of the Run Around, along with the Club. We in turn like to showcase their community spirit and their business.

New Mexico Sport Aviation is new to our sponsors team this year. Based out at the Santa Fe Municipal Airport, the company offers sport pilot training, licensing programs, and lessons which make a terrific gift for anyone that just wants to get up in the air and see Santa Fe from above. A mention of this year's Run Around even landed on their pilots' news feed. We strongly approve.

Santa Fe Fitness Bootcamp is another outstanding addition to the sponsor team. Located at 909 Early St.
(behind Dunkin' Donuts, another long-time supporter of the Striders and the Run Around), Santa Fe Fitness Bootcamp specializes in conditioning, core work, and mega-fitness. There's your instant solution to fading cross-training motivation, or a jump-start to a new training cycle.

Hope to see you all out on the Plaza May 18th. If you (and your friends) have yet to register there's still time, and as always remember to make it a point to support the businesses who support Santa Fe running.

Past Iterations of the Run Around Course

Santa Fe Run Around course map - 1986 

The Run Around has been 'around' for a while (pun intended), but for logistical and other minor event-planning reasons the course has ranged all over Santa Fe's downtown. In fact, the first seven years of the race, 1979-1985, the race was run on a slightly different course each year. Consistently in-consistent you might say.

1986 was the first year in which the same course was used in back-to-back outings, a cool map insert from an old issue of the Striders' MileMarkers is pictured at left. The route climbed Camino Monte Sol to the south, then headed east to St John's College, then back down Camino Cabra and the return to the Plaza. Not too different from the old, Old Santa Fe Trail Run that ran on the Monday of Fiestas Week. Start and finish was on the south side of the Plaza.

What about the 5K course? There was none. Back in the day when runners knocked out fifty-mile weeks in cutoff jean shorts and tube socks there was just one all-comers race, the 10K. Check out the updated Results Archive to see the names of a few of the champions from those early races.

2013 Race Shirt Preview

Finalized 2013 Run Around shirt

The finishers' shirts for the 2013 Run Around have been finalized. Red and white on grey, pretty sharp.

Shirts are included with race registration, any inventory remaining after the race can be purchased for $10. 

A better deal - all runners 19 and under register for just $5. You heard that right. Now get out there and get a few miles under your belt and register to come out and run with us on Saturday May 18th. 

Santa Fe Girls on the Run

The Run Around is the oldest 5K/10K race in northern New Mexico, this much is known. It's also the unofficial kick-off to the New Mexico summer running and racing season. Lesser known perhaps, is that the race benefits the Santa Fe Chapter of Girls on the Run, generating over $17,000 in the last four years for the energetic young women that come out to run on race day.

Alice tells us that the program has 85 nearly 100 young women from five area schools preparing for this year's race. Can't wait to see them out there, eyes lighting up as they dash toward the finishing chute. 

2013 Santa Fe Run Around

The date is set for this year's Santa Fe Run Around 5K/10K Kids K, now in its thirty-fifth year and still rolling. The Run Around is the longest running road race in northern New Mexico. Saturday May 18th is the morning to mark on your calendar. The esteemed Jim Owens will be directing the race once again, this may be his ninth year as race director. The race is amassing enough history that we felt we ought to document it a bit better, therefore this snappy new race website. Check back as we populate past years' results and stories from races past. 

The race is held on the Santa Fe Plaza toward the end of each May, just before the start of the traditional summer season. The course winds up the Santa Fe River, circles Cristo Rey Church and returns along Alameda to the Plaza. 10K runners will cover the course twice. A kids 'K' will follow with two laps around the Plaza. 

Registration for this year's race is $25 for adults, just $5 for kids 19-under, and $22 for Striders' members before race day. Register online at Active.com, or download a registration form to mail in or drop off at The Running Hub. The race once again benefits the Santa Fe Chapter of Girls on the Run, guided by the energetic and irreplaceable Alice Temple.