BOULDER, Colo. (AP)—After a disappointing finish in his first Bolder Boulder three years ago, Olympian Ryan Hall vowed to return one day and really tear up the lung-searing 10-kilometer road race in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
After watching the race the last two years, he’s back toeing the line, but he’s not nearly as defiant.
Hall said he’s “going to take the expectation level off a little bit and enjoy it” Monday when he races with fellow Americans James Carney and Aaron Braun in the annual Memorial Day 10K race at altitude.
The U.S. women’s contingent will be the same as last year: University of Colorado graduate Renee Metivier Baille, Magdalena Lewy-Boulet and Amy Hastings.
Hall, America’s top distance runner, finished 14th in Boulder in 2008 a month and a-half after clocking the second-fastest time by an American in the London Marathon and 10 weeks before finishing 10th in the marathon at the Beijing Olympics.
“I was extremely excited about my fitness in London and expected to run a little bit better in Boulder,” Hall said. “The level of performance of the guys that year was incredible. The time of the race was very quick for altitude and the way the race played out, they went our super hard. And so I was off the pace right from the beginning and didn’t feel well enough to progress into it more.
“I figure to be a little bit more competitive this year.”
Even so, he’s not going to go out at breakneck speed even if others push the pace early.
“Yeah, guys go off so fast in this race. They have a premium in this race (money at mileage markers). I learned that from races and workouts that I get better as I race along,” Hall said. “So I will be a little more cautious up front, which is a good way to run for anyone who is racing at altitude. Everyone should be cautious up front.”
Not everyone, however, has as strong a kick as Hall.
Hall is once again coming off a stellar performance, having run the Boston Marathon in 2 hours, 4 minutes, 58, six weeks ago, the fastest ever for an American but one aided by strong tail winds and the course’s elevation drop that keeps it from being recognized as a U.S. record.
Hall isn’t piling on the pressure in his return to Boulder.
“This year I’m going to take the expectation level off a little bit and enjoy it,” Hall said. “I’m not going to say I won’t do my very best, but I’m going to be a little bit more conservative up front.”
Whatever approach he takes, Hall is one of the favorites, and Boston was a big boost for his confidence.
“I get a huge amount of confidence seeing a 2:04 next to my name,” he said. “While marathon fitness is a lot different from 10K fitness, it helps me when I hop in the track to prepare for shorter races.”
Hall, who lives in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., and splits his training between Palo Alto, Calif., and Flagstaff, Ariz., recently left coach Terrence Mahon for an unconventional training regimen based on prayer and self-awareness.
Hall published a book, “Running With Joy,” that chronicles his spiritual journey leading up to last year’s Boston Marathon and he writes about his inspiration in his blog (ryanhall.competitor.com). He also avoids training on Sundays.
“I never have enjoyed running more than I am now,” Hall said. “I have a new level of flexibility that I never had before. I felt flat the other day in my workout and rather than continue as I would have I make changes in the workout and end up feeling better and more confident.”
Regardless of how he finishes Monday, he said he won’t cross the finish line in defiance like he did in 2008. He said he wants to enjoy his race and top his time from three years ago, whether or not he breaks the tape in first.
The Ethiopian trio that broke away from the Kenyans early in last year’s race and crossed the finish line together—Lelisa Desisa, 2009 champ Tilahun Regassa and Tadese Tola—aren’t back. They’ve been replaced by Belete Assefa, Solomon Deksisa and Hussen Adelo.
“We hear they are tough,” pro athlete coordinator Don Janicki said.
And even though they’re racing the Bolder Boulder for the first time, they’ve got to be considered among the favorites, along with Hall and the Kenyans.
“They know how to train to race well here,” race director Cliff Bosley said. “The Ethiopians are going to give everyone a run for their money.”
In the women’s race, Kenya’s Lineth Chepkurui, who won the Bay to Breakers two weeks ago, is the co-favorite with two-time defending champion Mamitu Daska of Ethiopia.
After watching the race the last two years, he’s back toeing the line, but he’s not nearly as defiant.
Hall said he’s “going to take the expectation level off a little bit and enjoy it” Monday when he races with fellow Americans James Carney and Aaron Braun in the annual Memorial Day 10K race at altitude.
The U.S. women’s contingent will be the same as last year: University of Colorado graduate Renee Metivier Baille, Magdalena Lewy-Boulet and Amy Hastings.
Hall, America’s top distance runner, finished 14th in Boulder in 2008 a month and a-half after clocking the second-fastest time by an American in the London Marathon and 10 weeks before finishing 10th in the marathon at the Beijing Olympics.
“I was extremely excited about my fitness in London and expected to run a little bit better in Boulder,” Hall said. “The level of performance of the guys that year was incredible. The time of the race was very quick for altitude and the way the race played out, they went our super hard. And so I was off the pace right from the beginning and didn’t feel well enough to progress into it more.
“I figure to be a little bit more competitive this year.”
Even so, he’s not going to go out at breakneck speed even if others push the pace early.
“Yeah, guys go off so fast in this race. They have a premium in this race (money at mileage markers). I learned that from races and workouts that I get better as I race along,” Hall said. “So I will be a little more cautious up front, which is a good way to run for anyone who is racing at altitude. Everyone should be cautious up front.”
Not everyone, however, has as strong a kick as Hall.
Hall is once again coming off a stellar performance, having run the Boston Marathon in 2 hours, 4 minutes, 58, six weeks ago, the fastest ever for an American but one aided by strong tail winds and the course’s elevation drop that keeps it from being recognized as a U.S. record.
Hall isn’t piling on the pressure in his return to Boulder.
“This year I’m going to take the expectation level off a little bit and enjoy it,” Hall said. “I’m not going to say I won’t do my very best, but I’m going to be a little bit more conservative up front.”
Whatever approach he takes, Hall is one of the favorites, and Boston was a big boost for his confidence.
“I get a huge amount of confidence seeing a 2:04 next to my name,” he said. “While marathon fitness is a lot different from 10K fitness, it helps me when I hop in the track to prepare for shorter races.”
Hall, who lives in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., and splits his training between Palo Alto, Calif., and Flagstaff, Ariz., recently left coach Terrence Mahon for an unconventional training regimen based on prayer and self-awareness.
Hall published a book, “Running With Joy,” that chronicles his spiritual journey leading up to last year’s Boston Marathon and he writes about his inspiration in his blog (ryanhall.competitor.com). He also avoids training on Sundays.
“I never have enjoyed running more than I am now,” Hall said. “I have a new level of flexibility that I never had before. I felt flat the other day in my workout and rather than continue as I would have I make changes in the workout and end up feeling better and more confident.”
Regardless of how he finishes Monday, he said he won’t cross the finish line in defiance like he did in 2008. He said he wants to enjoy his race and top his time from three years ago, whether or not he breaks the tape in first.
The Ethiopian trio that broke away from the Kenyans early in last year’s race and crossed the finish line together—Lelisa Desisa, 2009 champ Tilahun Regassa and Tadese Tola—aren’t back. They’ve been replaced by Belete Assefa, Solomon Deksisa and Hussen Adelo.
“We hear they are tough,” pro athlete coordinator Don Janicki said.
And even though they’re racing the Bolder Boulder for the first time, they’ve got to be considered among the favorites, along with Hall and the Kenyans.
“They know how to train to race well here,” race director Cliff Bosley said. “The Ethiopians are going to give everyone a run for their money.”
In the women’s race, Kenya’s Lineth Chepkurui, who won the Bay to Breakers two weeks ago, is the co-favorite with two-time defending champion Mamitu Daska of Ethiopia.
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