It was the unexpected but long-awaited return of the Frisco Duathlon at Frisco Peninsula today.
That’s right: Before it was the Frisco Triathlon, the annual kickoff to Frisco race season was a duathlon from 2012 to 2014.
A field of 139 solo and team competitors ran, biked and ran again on the dirt trails of the peninsula, where a few days of afternoon rain this week did wonders for dusty conditions after weeks of miniscule moisture.
Nothing short of a miracle would have salvaged the paddleboard leg, although low water on Lake Dillon wasn’t the only hurdle this summer. The Summit County Sheriff’s Office is rebuilding its outpost at Pine Cove Campground, where racers usually transition from paddle to bike.
Happy to run twice was the men’s and overall winner, Jared Burris, of Frisco, racing in the men’s 30 to 39-year-old division. He was trading leads all morning with the women’s winner, Alyssa Jringo, also of Summit in the 30-39 division.
“She caught up to me real quick going down Wonderland on the bike, (and) within 15 seconds she was right on my tail and blew past me,” Burris told Krystal 93 after the race. “I didn’t see her when I made the next transition, but I was able to catch her on the next run. I think the double run worked to my advantage today.”
Burris knows these trails well. He helped to build them as a member of the town trails crew.
“I love Wonderland,” he said. “I did help build that one. And it’s hard to beat Treasure Vault. It’s a long, really fun up-and-down trail, so you can’t go wrong.”
It wouldn’t be a Frisco race without costumes. Waldo was spotted in the men’s 50-59 division, and a trio of Breckenridge women were having the most fun in tutus and matching sweatbands.
Finishing third overall for the men was Michael Hagen, a former triathlete racing in the 60-69 division. Like Burris, he knows these trails well. They are the home stomping grounds for his team at Summit High School, where he has trained multiple state champions, including his daughter, current University of Colorado Buff Ella Hagen.
“Knowing the trails definitely was a little bit of an advantage,” Hagen said. “Alyssa blew past me too. I went with flat pedals instead of mountain bike shoes, clipping in, and though, maybe I made a mistake. It just turns out she was really fast.’”
Does Hagen miss getting out on a paddleboard?
“I would prefer the duathlon,” Hagen says. “I’m always going back and forth on the paddleboard, and it takes me twice as long as other people. I say do them both next year, one on Friday, one on Saturday.”
The Frisco race team is mum on what’s happening next year. They still have three more races to put on this year, beginning with Run the Rockies Trail on Aug. 8.
Rounding out the podiums today were Matt Desrosiers in second, plus Katherine Grossman in second and Jill Sorensen in third. Find complete results online.
Preview image by Byron Swezy for town of Frisco via American Trail Running Association.