McLaughlin defends USATF trail title; five Coloradans win masters titles in Utah

photo: Tayte Pollmann

Results

Last Saturday (6-Nov) twenty-two (22) athletes from Colorado competed in the 2021 USATF Marathon Trail Championships in Moab, Utah.  The championships were hosted by the Moab Trail Marathon for the ninth year in a row.  A total of 42 athletes competed in the championships.  Coloradans combined to win six national (open and masters) titles and place a total of four women and six men in the top ten.  Both the women’s’ and mens’ elite fields were the most competitive in the race’s fourteen year history, attracting some of the country’s top veteran and upcoming trail runners. The high level of competition also brought out some of the fastest times in course history, with an unprecedented three men under three hours and six women under four hours.

In the women's race Allie McLaughlin, 31, of Colorado Springs defended the title she won last year and lead three other Coloradans to top five finishes.  Her time of 3:30:15 was over six minutes faster than in 2020 and over eight minutes ahead of runner-up Samantha Lewis of Idaho.  Fellow Coloradan Ashley Brasovan (30, Golden) duplicated her third place finish from last year as she ran 3:42:18 this year.  She was closely followed across the line by Stevie Kremer, 37, of Crested Butte and Janelle Lincks, 28, of Thornton who finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Kremer ran 3:42:44 and Lincks followed her across the line just five seconds later.

In the women's masters competition Elizabeth Claflin, 54, of Morrison and Marianne Osteen, 61, of Steamboat Springs each won national titles.  Claflin won the 50-54 title running 4:45:52 and Osteen won the 60-64 division in a time of 5:36:24.  Darunee Pisutadamongkol, 65, of Louisville finished second in the 65-69 division running 7:16:41

In the men's race Coloradans finished third, fourth, and fifth and won three masters titles. Eli Hemming, 26, of Louisville, Brian Whitfield, 25 of Wheat Ridge, and Jeshurun Small, 23, of Gunnison finished third, fourth, and fifth respectively.  Hemming ran 2:59:09 with Whitfield stopping clock at 3:04:19 and Small trailing Whitfield by just 18 seconds in 3:04:37.  The race was won by Adam Adam Peterman of Montana in 2:51:41.  Two weeks earlier Whitfield defeated Hemming by just 10 seconds at the Colorado 25 km Championships in Colorado Springs.  Alson nabbing top-ten finishes were Joseph DeMoor (8th, 3:16:24), 31, of Carbondale; Jeff Cuno (9th, 3:16:59), 26, of Gypsum; and Galen Burrell (10th, 3:26:51), 42, of Boulder.

In the men's masters competition three Coloradans won national titles. Jon Brown, 49, of Crested Butte captured the 45-49 national crown running 3:32:24. Paul Hooge, 55, of Boulder won the 55-59 title running 5:21:40 and Buzz Burrell, 70, of Boulder won the 70-74 division in 5:16:51.  In the men's 40-44 division Coloradans finished second, third and fourth behind Max King of Oregon.  The trio of Galen Burrell (2nd 3:26:51), Josh Eberly (3rd; 3:29:25), and Jeason Murphy (4th; 3:29:25) all finished within three minutes of each other.

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