2021 HUMAN RACE RECAP
Since 1983, the Human Race has been run in Fort Collins every summer, usually on the first Saturday of August, as a community event to celebrate the spirit of Fort Collins and raise funds for local non-profits and school groups. Even last year as we navigated COVID-19 and completely changed the event to a new venue, designed a new racecourse (5k distance only), added wave starts, social distancing, and many adjustments for safety protocols, the race ran on for the 37th year straight.
This year presented many challenges to keep the race alive and back at its traditional downtown venue. All logic said not to hold the race this year, but our hearts couldn’t bear the thought of ending the tradition. So, with just a few very short weeks to put an event together we jumped on the details, opened registration, and made it happen. We were also happy to welcome the Mountain Ave Mile for a special co-op running event as they were facing many of the same challenges and had previously decided to cancel their event for the year.
This year’s event was back to hosting multiple distances including a half marathon, 10k, 5k and 1-Mile races all finishing at Civic Center park in downtown Fort Collins. Thank you to all the runners, volunteers, sponsors, and the City of Fort Collins who supported the event and came out on race day to make the 38th annual Human Race happen.
5k RACE:
The 5k is the most popular race of the event. Starting at the Avery House and running along Fort Collins’ historic Mountain Avenue, it is the perfect setting for the distance and the “Man vs Machine” challenge.
Runners have the unique opportunity to race Birney Car 21 of the Fort Collins Municipal Railway in the only trolley vs human race in the world. Running along the first trolley tracks to open in 1907, the 5k race re-creates the original trolley route down West Mountain Ave that people once paid five cents to ride to the annual Stock Show at the county fairgrounds (now City Park). Birney Car 21, age 102, one of the four original Fort Collins trolley cars, runs the race every year alongside human competitors in a race against time.
Car 21 was built in 1919, purchased by the City of Fort Collins for $6,200 and ran for 32 years until retirement in 1951. It was then put on display outside the Fort Collins Museum from 1953 to 1977. Volunteers restored car 21 from 1978-1985 and for the last 35+ years it runs every weekend through the summer months.
The trolley tracks stop at the intersection of Mountain Ave and Howes Street so runners must reach the end of the tracks before the trolley to officially qualify as “faster than the trolley”, but the race isn’t over as runners must keep going for 0.1 more miles round the corner to reach the 5k finish line. This year 32 runners beat the trolley to the end of the line, having to run a 5k finish time of 21:30 or faster to outkick the machine. These runners enjoyed winning custom messenger bags, perfect for cruising around town, saving the world from plastic, and a little humble brag all at the same time.
A few of the “faster that the trolley” runners with their awards at the post-race awards ceremony.
Christian Groendyk easily won the 5k crushing the slightly downhill last mile with no competition in sight (not even the trolley). Joey Souverein and Wilson Young followed 1:16 and 1:35 minutes behind respectively. While the male overall winners were teenagers and early 20s, the women’s overall went to masters (40+) runner Laura Harger of Loveland followed closely by Rachel West and grandmaster (50+) runner Shannon Stryker.
| 5K OVERALL WINNERS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLASS: MALE OVERALL | ||||||
| Bib # | Name | Age | Time | Pace | From | |
| 108 | Christian Groendyk | 16 | 16:18.4 | 5:15 | Fort Collins, CO | |
| 246 | Joey Souverein | 16 | 17:34.0 | 5:40 | Fort Collins, CO | |
| 284 | Wilson Young | 22 | 17:53.6 | 5:46 | Greeley, CO | |
| CLASS: FEMALE OVERALL | ||||||
| Bib # | Name | |||||
| 119 | Laura Harger | 44 | 20:19.8 | 6:33 | Loveland, CO | |
| 301 | Rachel West | 31 | 20:27.8 | 6:36 | ||
| 250 | Shannon Stryker | 56 | 20:35.4 | 6:38 | Loveland, CO |
This year we were proud to officially add a wheelchair/pushrim category to the 5k race. Spearheaded by Julia Beckley, who after completing her first race in a wheelchair at the Human Race in 2018 has gone on to race distances up to 100 miles! Wheelchair athletes have always been accepted to participate in the event, but adding a specific category was the next step to increase awareness of the opportunities for adaptive athletes. We were excited to have six athletes participate in the category for its inaugural year.
Pushrim/wheelchair category starting lineup. From left Dennis Gordon, Steve Taylor, Julia Beckly, Race Director Lisa Sinclair, Armando Rivera, and Katja Stokley.
To read more, click the link to the article in the Coloradoan newspaper:
Fort Collins wheelchair athlete Julia Beckley pushing for more access for adaptive athletes
Fun Fact: Many of the adult participants have run the Human Race since they were kids. Some remembering running the race in their youth as they run alongside their own kids now.
In all, 274 participants finished the 5k this year ranging in age from 6 – 85 years old. Another exciting addition to Green Events races is the new age group category of 80+ as there is a crew of runners still going strong and competing in many races. It wasn’t long ago that the last award category for many races was 60-69 or 70+, so we are excited to see these changes and more people of all ages and abilities participating.
10k RACE:
The 10k race runs a great loop course with downhill miles in the middle making for a fast and scenic run through town and along the Poudre River. The lead men took off together from the start and enjoyed the early morning temps and closed roads as the dropped the pack and headed down to the Poudre Trail.
| 10K OVERALL WINNERS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLASS: MALE OVERALL | ||||||
| Bib # | Name | Age | Time | Pace | From | Team |
| 519 | Carter Campbell | 22 | 35:06.4 | 5:39 | Fort Collins, CO | |
| 580 | Camron Pearce | 26 | 35:44.3 | 5:45 | Fort Collins, CO | Runners Roost |
| 565 | Mark Kucza | 34 | 37:59.0 | 6:07 | Fort Collins, CO | Runners Roost |
| CLASS: FEMALE OVERALL | ||||||
| Bib # | Name | |||||
| 611 | Katrina Weinmann | 25 | 42:20.4 | 6:49 | Fort Collins, CO | |
| 628 | Cathleen Balantic | 34 | 42:56.2 | 6:55 | Westminster, CO | |
| 536 | Jennifer Fox | 36 | 44:19.0 | 7:08 | Greeley, CO |
HALF MARATHON RACE:
The Half Marathon male and female winners, Matthew Drake, a member of the Fort Collins Running Club Racing Team, & AnnMarie Kirkpatrick, of Front Range Elite had a bit of a lonely race running much of it by themselves off the front of the pack. Drake won with a time of 1:13:04, followed by Kirkpatrick who won the women’s race with a time of 1:21:30 and was 2nd finisher overall.
| HALF MARATHON OVERALL WINNERS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLASS: MALE OVERALL | ||||||
| Bib # | Name | Age | Time | Pace | From | Team |
| 817 | Matthew Drake | 32 | 01:13:04 | 5:34 | Fort Collins, CO | Fort Collins Running Club |
| 867 | Cyrus Severance | 41 | 01:27:32 | 6:40 | Morrison, CO | |
| 850 | Mark Saunders | 45 | 01:28:30 | 6:45 | Fort Collins, CO | Runners Roost |
| CLASS: FEMALE OVERALL | ||||||
| Bib # | Name | |||||
| 832 | Annmarie Kirkpatrick | 39 | 01:21:30 | 6:13 | Fort Collins, CO | Front Range Elite |
| 876 | Julie Tripp | 39 | 01:37:47 | 7:27 | Fort Collins, CO | |
| 842 | Karie Nordland | 33 | 01:38:35 | 7:31 | Fort Collins, CO |
* Notable race by long time Fort Collins runner, Bob Vanlangenhoven, finishing in 1:33:05 for 7th place overall and 1st grandmaster.
THE MOUNTAIN AVENUE MILE
The Mountain Ave Mile was a great addition to the event, adding a competitive and open race to our normal Kids 1-Mile fun run gave everyone an opportunity to race the “faster than flat” slightly downhill point-to-point course.
Eric Hamer, CSU graduate student and 2020 Olympic trials 10,000m qualifier, won the Mile in 4:14.
The top 3 overall female winners were all under the age of 15, with Lily Wale winning in a time of 5:47.
| MOUNTAIN AVENUE MILE OVERALL WINNERS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLASS: MALE OVERALL | ||||||
| Bib # | Name | Age | Time | Pace | From | |
| 1038 | Eric Hamer | 24 | 04:14.1 | 04:14.1 | Fort Collins, CO | |
| 1051 | Calvin Lehn | 27 | 04:36.8 | 04:36.8 | Fort Collins, CO | |
| 1108 | Bryan Hird | 23 | 04:41.8 | 04:41.8 | Fort Collins, CO | |
| CLASS: FEMALE OVERALL | ||||||
| Bib # | Name | |||||
| 1092 | Lily Wale | 14 | 05:47.6 | 05:47.6 | Windsor, CO | |
| 1033 | Anya Gorely | 13 | 06:08.4 | 06:08.4 | Fort Collins, CO | |
| 1029 | Annie Fowler | 12 | 06:27.3 | 06:27.3 | Windsor, CO |
High 5s to the young runners who were not afraid to toe the front line and stare down their competition. We see your heart and love it! This is what community races are all about.
The kids race is always a fun event to watch and a favorite for many kids. What an experience for them to pin on their race bibs, line up with elite local runners, receive an official event shirt, and take home that finisher’s ribbon. Congrats to all the 12 and under kids who ran, walked, laughed, cried, crawled, and persevered to finish that mile.
Big thanks to all the sponsors who helped make this event happen!
