Бег на траве в Боулдере объединяет поколения: от новичков до олимпийских чемпионов

The sun was just disappearing behind the Flatirons, taking along with it the day’s near 100-degree heat, by the time the 4×400 meter relay runners lined up on the Potts Field track on the University of Colorado’s east campus to receive instructions at last week’s Boulder Road Runners all comers summer track meet series. The relay — comprising teams of four runners, each running one lap with a baton that is then handed off to the next runner — was the final event of the meet, as well as of the popular all comers track series, which draws racers from age 2 through athletes in their 90s. It took a while to get the four runners on each squad lined up, with explanations on where to stand and where they could pass the baton in the designated passing zone. Some of the teams had never run a relay before, and for some runners, it was their first race ever, and giggles and nervous laughter was evident. ”I had no idea the meet was this large,” Josh Klaus, 23, winner of the mile in 4:26 earlier in the evening, said as he lined up with his “Blink and We’re Gone” teammates in lane 1. “We decided to run, since it was free.” (There is an entry fee for individual events, which helps offset the cost of the CU track rental). “Blink and We’re Gone” runners were dressed in matching Hawaiian shirts and were fit college-age young adults. Other teams comprised kids, parents, friends, with names like “”Team Pi,” “Thunderhawks” and “For the Wind.” The mood was jovial, that is until the starting pistol sounded and the first runners on each squad sprinted off the line. It was then all focus and concentration. “Blink and We’re Gone,” led the way with a final time of 4 minutes, 4 seconds. The final team was several minutes and more than a lap behind. There was a relaxed atmosphere to the evening, with copious delicious cookies included in the “celebration of friendship, competition and summer,” as meet director Todd Straka said over the PA system. Straka is one of the dozens of Boulder Road Runners members who volunteer to put on five meets each summer, events that bring together all aspects of the running community, from newcomers to retired elites such as Ric Rojas, Steve Jones, Beni Durden; last week I noticed 1996 Commonwealth Games marathoner Dale Rixon standing along the infield fence watching the meet along with his family, here from Wales for a training camp and vacation for his son and a friend. According to club president Deb Conley, a strong advocate of providing opportunities for adaptive and para athletes,“track and field is one of the few sports that truly has an event for nearly everyone. Whether someone is a sprinter, distance runner, race walker, hurdler, jumper, thrower, pole vaulter, wheelchair racer, ‘Frame Running’ athlete, or simply trying the sport for the very first time, there is a place to participate, grow, and succeed.” The meets were started by Boulder Road Runners founder Rich Castro decades ago and have continued unabated, introducing generations of athletes to the track. As former CU track runner Conley put it, ”Our mission has never been simply to host meets. It’s to build a healthier, more connected community by creating opportunities for people of every age, ability, and background to experience the complete sport of track and field.” Para-throwing athletes such as Cem Duzel and his wife, Layne, came up to the meet from Colorado Springs for the chance to throw in a sanctioned competition in a venue with a throws facility. Others traveled from Wyoming, along with others from the Front Range, because, Conley said, “opportunities like these have become increasingly rare.” She added: ”Success isn’t measured by the number of meets we host. It’s measured by the number of lives we inspire, the barriers we remove, and the opportunities we create through the sport of track and field.” The 4×400 meter relay summed up that philosophy well, with the youngsters lining up next to the sub-60 second 400 meter runners. As the final runner crossed the line in the 2026 Summer Series, the throws competition was continuing in the field outside the east side of Potts. Night had arrived. As I left the track, heading home in the welcome cooling darkness, a kid’s voice came over the PA system: “Good night, runners!” Follow Sandrock on Instagram: @MikeSandrock