Well not really, although we have hit the reset button on Towers-related statistical accumulations for 2011...but it's still the same old grunt. In 2010, we had a total of 104 different runners attend at least one of the 20 sessions on the big hill, which ain't bad considering the gruntworthiness of the course. Our biggest turnout of 32 runners was on July 15, and the smallest turnout of 8 runners was the inaugural April 8 session.

I handed out a few Pearl Izumi goodies last week at the Thursday night social gathering for those who showed the greatest dedication to the hill.

On the men's side, Pete Stevenson managed to make more appearances than your humble run-director in 2010 with a total of 18 Thursday summits, followed by me (17), Brian Walter (15), Alex May and Scott Slusher (14). For the women, Mary Boyts (absent last night) was a model of consistency with 16 appearance, followed by Celeste (Slusher?) (15) and Cat Speights (14).

Top times were as follows:

Sam Malmberg: 28:50
Nick Clark: 29:26
Eric Bergman: 29:37
Steve Folkerts: 30:36
Dakota Jones: 31:26

Women

Jenn Malmberg: 35:09
Sarah Hansen: 36:10
Cherilyn Sackel: 37:07
Amy Hartley: 38:14
Karina HS XC: 38:20

This year got off to a good start with a solid 20-runner turnout. The conditions were predictably slow given the recent white fluffy dump from the heavens, but they could have been much worse. The half-mile connector to Towers was decently packed down, and then most of the actual road had been plowed, with the exception of the toughest part of the route - the half mile from Westridge - which was a slippery white mess. Results further down.

So we'll continue the bi-weekly schedule through the winter and on through the year, hopefully with a full 26 sessions in 2011. Once we revert forward to longer days in the spring, I am hopeful that we'll find the opportunity to switch locations a couple of times to include time trials on Horsetooth, Round Mountain, Greyrock (?) and maybe even Crosier. Other suggestions welcome.

Times:

...............PR.....1/13.....1/27

Alex A....38:07..43:00...46:00
Alex M....37:49..42:34..38:27
Brent......40:44.............40:44
Brian K...37:12.............37:12
Brian S...40:30..42:20..40:30
Brian W...44:55..51:10..49:04
Cat........44:13..45:40.....44:54
Celeste...45:37..47:59....46:06
Cherilyn..38:19...42:ish.40:34
Dakota....30:30..............30:30
Dan B......41:21..............41:21
Dan Bla..50:20..............50:20
Dan J......37:18...............37:30
Diana H..46:28..46:28
Don.........44:06.............49:13
Eric........40:30..40:30
Eric B......29:37.............29:37
Glenn......40:35.............43:00
Jeff K......39:08..43:00..39:08
Jenn M...35:09..37:47....35:09
Joselyne.52:40..............*****
Kyle........34:42.............34:42
Marie......44:33.............44:33
Mary B...42:03..............44:31
Mindy.....54:44..54:44
Mike L....43:50..47:50..43:50
Mike T....45:06..47:31
Mike M...42:34.............43:00
Nick C....29:26..32:01..29:26
Nick M...35:42..38:56..35:42
Pete......32:41..39:40....35:40
Ryan B...31:32..33:45..31:32
Sam M...28:50..32:59
Sarah H..36:10.............36:10
Slush.....32:56..34:54...32:56
Stephanie.41:21............41:21
Woody..44:30..............44:30
.20....................20........32