Young, Schneider top field at Mountain to Valley race

GLENWOOD SPRINGS — Kyle Young finished as the top overall finisher in the 10-mile race and Mike Schneider prevailed in the four-mile race on Saturday during the annual Mountain to Valley 10-Miler and FAST 4-Miler races.

The event is run by Mountain Valley Developmental Services, a Colorado Community Center board that provides services for children and adults in Pitkin, Eagle, Lake and Garfield counties. Each year, MVDS donates a portion of the proceeds to the Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics, which supports research for a cure. The race drew a record 133 runners on Saturday.

This year a unique group from Denver came. Athletes in Tandem offered adult individuals served by Mountain Valley the opportunity to participate in the race. The four adults chosen to participate had to meet basic weight and height requirements, and athletes pushed them in adult strollers, including one local — Dr. John Murray from Murray Dental Group — who pushed Katie Buchan on the 4-mile course.

Young crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 2 minutes, 12 seconds. He was followed by Craig Macek (1:03:22) and Ron Lund (1:06:32) on the long course, which is primarily a downhill run from the intersection of Dry Park Road and Thompson Creek Road west of Carbondale, ending at Glenwood Park in Glenwood Springs. The four-mile race begins near the intersection of Dry Park Road and 4 Mile Road south of Glenwood.

Schneider, the cross country coach at Glenwood Springs High School, posted a winning time of 22 minutes, 43 seconds in the four-mile run. He was followed by Reid Swanson (22:53) and Ryan Yost (23:05).

Winning the title of top overall female in the 10-mile race was Karis Scroggs, who crossed the finish line in 1:07.11. Following was Mary Geiger (1:09.03), followed closely by Anne Swanson (1:09.32). Amy Reigner was the fastest female in the four-mile race, finishing in 25:37. Tamra Allen (29.58) and Becca Ketelsleger (30:20) followed.

Both races ended in Glenwood Park with a festive finish area. The event also included the Smilin’ Sam Half-Mile Fun Run, named after Sam, the child of race founder Candy Granger-Underhill. Sam was diagnosed with Angelman’s Syndrome as a baby, and Granger-Underhill, having received services from Mountain Valley, wanted to give back to the organization that had done so much for her family.

The race has raised almost $50,000 in the four years it’s been happening, with this year’s raising the most money in the race’s history, according to a press release from race organizers.

The fast race was just a bit slower than last year. The 10-mile winner in the 2013 race was then-50-year-old Bernie Boettcher in 58 minutes even, with the top overall female, then-29-year-old Megan Lizotte, finishing in 60 minutes flat.