Runner of the Month: Hannah Hopkins Walton

“You have cancer.” Three words that changed Hannah’s life.

In 2017 Hannah was diagnosed with breast cancer. After she finished her surgeries and treatments, she began looking for a way to celebrate her healthy body and for an outlet for her anxiety. She found running. It wasn’t love at first sight. It wasn’t amazing from the start. However, moving her body felt good and she kept at it. Her brain felt better, her clothes started to fit, and she felt sassy and healthy. She just had to keep moving.

The 2021 Spring Equinox race marked her 4-year anniversary from her mastectomy. On that 4-mile run, as her feet carried her to the finish line, she was surprised at how emotional she felt. A few years ago, the doctors were talking about a 5-year life expectancy and here she was, running with air in her lungs, blood pumping through her heart and into her legs. It felt powerful to be alive. In her head, she muttered her mantra repeatedly, “just keep moving.” She tells herself that her body is strong. Hannah finished the race and subsequently signed up for the Fall Equinox Half Marathon and the 2022 Spring Equinox Half Marathon!

Though Hannah is now cancer free, the 2021 Spring Equinox did not mark the end of her cancer journey. Inspired by her own experience with cancer and not having easily accessible comfort items post-surgery, Hannah created the Somebunny brand which offers shirts and recovery items to help with comfort after breast cancer related surgeries. When she underwent her surgeries, she sewed her own shirts and pillows. Now she is passionate about helping people find what they need easily and feel supported during one of the most difficult times in their lives.

Somebunny recently announced that they have opened a non-profit side, Somebunny Cares which provides after-surgery recovery shirts for people having breast cancer related surgeries in Colorado at no cost! If you or someone you know is having breast cancer related surgery visit www.somebunnyawesome.com/SomebunnyCares to apply for a recovery shirt.

Hannah, you continually leave Green Events in awe of your accomplishments in running and in the community! You are doing amazing things and we are humbled to be a part of your journey. Thank you.

Volunteers of the Month: Meagan and Aidan Cleary

Running events are built on a foundation of volunteers and Green Events will tell anyone that our volunteers are the best! Mother-son duo Meagan and Aidan Cleary are relatively new to the Green Events volunteer scene but they’re quickly making an impression. If you ran the at the Spring Equinox races, Aidan and Maegan were the ones bestowing that hard-earned medal to you at the finish line. And, if you ran the Loveland Classic and felt a bit munchy afterwards, Meagan and Aidan were the ones who served you at the food area and Aidan passed out cookies and ribbons to all the kids at the at the 1-mile finish line.

You would think that with all the volunteer hours they’ve put in recently, Maegan and Aidan are runners themselves but that’s not necessarily the case. Previously, Maegan would have considered herself a runner, running in the Horsetooth Half Marathon in 1997 and competing in a CSU triathlon that same year. She’s participated in many 5ks, longer trail runs, and a Tough Mudder. These days, however, running has taken a step down in her life, replaced with work, pesky knee injuries, and other responsibilities. Recently, Maegan has been hearing the call of her running shoes and is working towards getting back to the basics and pushing herself to the point of ‘good tired.’

Aidan is a member of his high school track team and though he doesn’t run for distance, he definitely gets his steps in competing in the long jump and filling in where needed. Off the track, he’s skiing, preferably at Winter Park which is enthusiastically his favorite ski area.

Thank you for dedicating your time and energy to the running community, Maegan, and Aidan! Green Events appreciates your hard work and everyone agrees that your medal-handing-out skills are 10 out of 10!

Ambassador of the Month: Patricia Grajeda-Babb

Patricia Grajeda-Babb was born in Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, lived for a time in Texas, and for the last 6 years has called Windsor, Colorado home. When she is not busy working as an engineer for Weld County, you can find her riding her gravel bike or signing up for local events and races. If there is one thing Patricia loves, it’s being active and working towards a goal.

Though Patricia has done countless races that challenge her mental and physical fortitude, her favorite half marathon is the Fall Equinox which she run as part of her Ironman training. To date, Patricia has an impressive 7 Ironman finishes, her most recent being in St. George, Utah! With an elevation change of over 3160’ on the 112-mile bike ride and 1250’ for the marathon, the St. George course is known to be one of the hardest Ironman courses in the world. She says of the 3359 participants, only 2282 finished the race, showing just how tough it was. Patricia crossed the finish line at 13:01:13, finishing in 1013th place overall and 27th in her age group. Green Events is proud of you Patricia and we can’t wait to see what amazing things you will accomplish next!

Green Teammate of the Month: AnnMarie Kirkpatrick

It’s a gazelle! It’s a cheetah! No, it’s AnnMarie Kirkpatrick of Front Range Elite. If you’ve spent any time at a Fort Collins running event, you’ve probably seen AnnMarie. Whether she’s gunning for a podium finish or running for fun with her young children, AnnMarie has been a staple of the running community since she took up cross country in 7th grade.

AnnMarie has won the Horsetooth Half Marathon and the FireKracker 5k where she set her PR of 17:12. She also qualified for the Olympic Trails 2020 Marathon with a PR at the California International of 2:37:49. Last month she ran her longest event, a 50k at the MadCity Ultra Event!

By day, AnnMarie works for the City of Fort Collins and for Green Events as the Choice City Running Event Mountain Avenue Mile Race Coordinator and as the Elite Runner Coordinator. Her main goal as Race Coordinator is for participants of all ages and abilities to find joy in movement and in coming together as a community. She hopes that people will try running for the first time, start a tradition with their family, and celebrate the active culture of Fort Collins that allows for so many activities and celebrations of exercise.

AnnMarie, you are an inspiration to the running community whether you’re at work or out for a run! Thank you for devoting such time and effort to bringing the community together!