Colorado's masters distance runners delivered a strong performance on June 6 at the USATF Masters 4 Mile Championships, held in conjunction with the historic Steamboat Classic 4 Mile in Peoria, Illinois.
Led by national champion Doug Bell, athletes from the Boulder Road Runners brought home both individual and team honors while competing against some of the nation's top masters runners.
Bell captured the men's 75-79 national title, covering the four-mile course in 29:11. The Boulder runner won the championship by a convincing 48-second margin over runner-up Don Morrison of Pennsylvania, adding another national title to his impressive career accomplishments.
In the highly competitive men's 70-74 division, Aaron Grady finished fourth in 28:43, missing a podium finish by just 17 seconds. Teammate Douglas Chesnut also turned in a strong performance, placing seventh in 29:42.
The trio combined their efforts to earn runner-up honors in the men's 70+ team competition. Bell, Grady, and Chesnut posted a cumulative time of 1:27:23, finishing second behind Shore Athletic Club of New Jersey, which captured the national team title in 1:25:22.