Beautiful orange and yellow fall foliage along the Coal Creek Cross Country Challenge (CCCCC) open space race course trail and clear blue skies made for a magnificent 4th annual CMRA event in Louisville. The club's northernmost race went off without a hitch with 70 finishers,

As in the past, this was not your typical CMRA race (or any road race for that matter). Co-race director Randy Luallin has only sought to tighten the screws for runners each consecutive year of the race. Just before the firecracker start (literally) of this year's race, he forewarned participants that the club had no plans to "pay out any health claims for tetanus or lockjaw if you get tangled up in the barbed wire fence," which is the access point to the farmer's field in the second half of the race. Randy also took measures to ensure that all runners succeeded in getting both their feet wet - first by building a log dam right next to where the runner's cross Coal Creek (to increase the breadth and depth of the water chasm to be hurtled, naturally...). Then he positioned himself on the far side of the creek crossing during the race to enforce his "both feet in the vortex" rule. On a pre-race inspection tour of the course he even chastised co-race director Bruce Kirschner for trying to remove any already existing course obstacles, including a long section of mangled barbed wire from the runner's path, "Heck, you just leave it right there...darn you!!"

Overall winner and CCCCC 2000 unofficial champ Darren Eisman breezed through the challenging classic cross country course in 32:57 with a relatively comfortable lead over second place finisher Phillip Becker (33:35). Eisman had led the 2000 race until going off course with 2 other race leaders. Seems that this year he found his way just right. Laurie Nakauchi-Hawn, also the 2000 overall female finisher, regained her crown in a time of 39:44, over 3 minutes ahead of 2nd place Polly Zimmerman (42:57).

Many thanks to all the volunteers. Connie Ahrnsbrak and Joe Baird did a fine job with the registration and did double duty by performing finish line/scoring duties. Jim Price, still recovering from some recent hospital surgery, came out to ably handle finish line timing. Other volunteers along the course were Michael Benidt (road crossing), Caleb Luallin and Jodi Pinteric (water stop), Lori Dill (creek crossing), Pete Wolfe (fence crossing), Sue Schmidt (finish line guide). Nate Pierce reprised his past role as pace biker. Club Quartermaster Joe Sanchez assisted with equipment transportation and logistics.

A hearty thanks to our commercial race sponsors and supporters for prize drawing merchandise: Runner's Choice of Boulder, the Boulder Running Company, the Arvada Great Harvest Bakery (Barry Sparks), Louisville's Blue Parrot Restaurant, Boulder Fleet Feet and the Old Louisville Inn. Nearly every participant was a prize drawing winner!

The race's biggest sponsor, who has supported the race since it's first appearance in 1999, is ODell Brewing Company of Fort Collins, makers of fine beers such as "90 Shilling" and "Cutthroat Porter". ODell Sales Manager Rick Newell came directly to the race from DIA following a business trip to dispense "Easy Street Wheat" beer samples to thirsty finishers. This is the only CMRA event that features beer as a post-race treat. And once again, Rick not only awarded a case of ODell beer to the male and female race winners, but also contributed t-shirts and hats to the post-race prize drawing.

One more thanks to all the participants - we expect to see you next year on October 12, 2003 (yep, get it on your calendar now)...and bring all your running friends!