The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
River running
As Crested Butte transitions from summer to winter, almost instantly, a handful of local trail running enthusiasts kept their season going last weekend at the Moab trail marathon and half-marathon.
Stevie Kremer continued her winning ways, taking the half-marathon title and adding national trail running half-marathon champion to her list of titles.
Yet, Kremer insists that wasn’t the goal. In fact, she wasn’t planning on racing at all until her friends talked her into coming along.
“I honestly signed up for it five days ago,” says Kremer. “A couple of friends were running the full marathon so we decided to just make it a fun adventure. Plus, a friend of mine told me it’s a really fun course.”
While the full marathon course includes some sections of slick rock traversing with rope assistance, the half marathon turned competitors through a different section. Nevertheless, they were still treated to a special water feature 10 miles into the race.
“We had to trudge through almost a mile of water that was waist-deep to me because I’m so short,” says Kremer. “I might as well have put on a snorkel and started swimming. My legs are so short that I was kicking out to the side trying to get them out of the water. It was a challenge but that’s the greatest part about trail running. You have to embrace the challenge.”
Fortunately, after trading the lead with another woman for the first six miles, Kremer moved out in front by the water section and was able to keep her lead for the rest of the race, finishing in a time of one hour, 38 minutes and winning the national title.
“I went into it knowing it was the half marathon championship but I wouldn’t have gone if my friends hadn’t gone,” says Kremer. “Some people like to sew or knit—I like to trail run. It’s my passion.”
As for the rest of the Crested Butte contingent, Emma Lohr placed seventh and Amelia Poppe placed 22nd in the full marathon race.
Kremer now has one more race before she hangs up the shoes for a while, the Rocky Man in Brazil, November 8-9. Kremer will be part of Team USA along with Marshall Thomson, a couple of athletes from California, one from Brazil and another from Aspen to compete in the six-stage race.
