Runner of the Month: Matt Britton
It was a Father’s Day of extra celebration for Matt Britton, who welcomed his daughter to the world just three days earlier. He made a quick appearance at the 5k to push his son in a stroller and finishing in less than 20 minutes, which was good for 3rd in his age group, before rushing back home to see his wife and new baby.
This has been quite a year for Matt already, competing in his first ultramarathon (50 miles) and finishing 5th overall and 1st Under 40 Open male! This ultramarathon was a deviation from his norm of competing in triathlons, but for a veteran of ironman distance triathlons and multi-year Kona Ironman World Championship finisher, it was not a surprise. His mantra to get through the 9+ hours of suffering was “keep moving and what ever happens happens.”
Not confined to the endurance junkie challenges, he regularly takes on shorter distance races where he is still speedy while pushing a stroller with his son in tow. He took first place overall in the Colorado Run 5k on Memorial Day (with stroller), then followed that up with a 3rd overall and 2nd age group win in the Olympic distance of the Colorado Triathlon just a week later in Boulder.
He’s been a regular participant in the Green Events races over the years, always smiling and thanking us for a great event. You won’t meet a nicer guy and competitor; his love of life, fitness, and family shines through everything he does.
Volunteer of the Month: Olivia Bojan
Being sustainable and environmentally friendly is a huge priority for the Green Events team and crew of volunteers; last year alone we diverted over 95% of all race waste away from the landfill, thanks in colossal part to the pint-sized coffee bean Olivia Bojan, who puts the green in Green Events! Olivia started volunteering and lifeguarding after her first Horsetooth Tri Training event with Green Events and has been going ever since! You’ll recognize her from her signature gritty no nonsense smirk. Even in those early hours, we’d see her helmet light as she rode up on her bike to the event no matter how far, with a box of fresh cookies and big smile ready to get cracking. Even when nobody else would, or without being asked, Olivia would go above and beyond transforming into our Trash Panda, sorting all the waste into the correct bins. She’s the kind of volunteer who sees it through until the end and feels guilty for even considering leaving if there’s anything left to do. Whether it’s the copious amounts of coffee we feed you or your genuine care to do your part, we love seeing you at all the events because you make the day go smoother. Next time you see Olivia at an event, biking around town, or out on the trails say hello and say thanks.
Thank you, Olivia, for making all the events green and great for all the runners and the Green Events crew!
Ambassador of the Month: Cathy Kechter
You can catch her running Boston, The Bacon Strip, or volunteering behind the race day packet pick-up table before running any of the Green Events races! This month’s Ambassador is Cathy Kechter. Cathy fell in love with running when she moved to Fort Collins in the late ’80s. She continues to run to stay fit and to meet new people and loves the peaceful feeling running gives her. Cathy has been running with Green Events for four years and her favorite race is the Fall Equinox Half Marathon. When she is not running with her dog, she enjoys hiking, biking, paddle boarding, golfing, reading, keyboarding, and drinking beer!