The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Current sights set on Leadville 100
Gunnison Valley runner and Western State College graduate Tim Parr earned a spot on the 2009 U.S. Mountain Running team headed to the world championships.
Parr had a prestigious career running at Western State College from 2000 to 2005 and was named an all-American twice in cross-country and three times in track and field, once in the five-kilometer event and twice in the ten-kilometers.
It was during his tenure at Western that Parr first earned a spot on the U.S. Mountain Running team in 2004. He came back from the world championships with a 38th-place finish that year.
He qualified again in 2005 and improved two spots with a 36th-place finish.
This year, Parr has his sights set on a different goal, competing in his first 100-mile running race, the Leadville 100.
It just so happened that part of his preparation included competing in the Cheyenne Canyon Mountain Race in Colorado Springs on Sunday, July 26. The Cheyenne Canyon Race was also one of two qualifier events for the U.S. team.
Parr won the race covering the 12-kilometer course in a time of 47 minutes 13 seconds and earned a spot on the Teva U.S. team for the third time.
“I haven’t made it my main focus but now that I made it, it’s my new focus,” says Parr. “This year I want to potentially crack top 10.”
The World Mountain Running championships are in Campodolcino, Italy on September 6.
Still, Parr has two events before the worlds, the Pikes Peak Ascent on Saturday, August 15 and then the Leadville 100 on Saturday, August 22.
“This will be my first 100-miler,” says Parr. “I’ve been putting in high volume miles with Duncan Callahan and it’s going really well.”
Parr then takes a short break before heading off to Italy and Parr seems confident despite the short turnover after a race like Leadville.
“I’ve got a two week break, it will be enough,” says Parr.
