By Courtney Johnson
December 12, 2009 (Denver, CO) – A welcome warmup in temperature greeted the 310 hearty folks who jumped into the first of three Chilly Cheeks Winter Duathlon races put on by Racing Underground. The race, held at Cherry Creek State Park, featured four miles of running on a combination of bike path, dirt trail and paved road, followed by a ten mile road bike ride. Racers had a choice of two different divisions: open or fat tire. And new this season was a four-mile run-only option. The four-mile run will also be part of the February race as well.
KT Desantis, 47, of Allenspark won the women’s open division in 1:06:59. Chelsea Schweid, 32, of Denver took second overall in 1:06:59.
“My goal today was to win,” said Schweid, who did win the female 30-39 division in addition to her second place overall. “I came to race today because my brother Casey and a friend convinced me to do it. I have never done a Chilly Cheeks before but I think I may have to do the [whole] series. The race was great, just like the other Racing Underground events.”
Laurie Mizener, 40, of Boulder placed third overall in the women’s open division, posting a time of 1:09:12. Carolyn Atwood, 23, of Colorado Springs took fourth overall as well as top honors in the 29 and under division.
In the women’s fat tire division, Kim Freeman, 27, of Denver claimed victory in 1:17:21. Marian Mead, 44, of Boulder finished a close second in 1:17:36. Mead also claimed top honors in the female 40-49 division.
Robin Keys, 43, of Boulder took third in the fat tire division with her time of 1:18:56. Fourth place overall—and first in the female 30-39 division—went to Tristan Barclay, 31, of Littleton. Erin Cummings, 28, of Lakewood placed fifth overall in addition to taking the top prize in the female 29 and under division.
On the men’s side, Andy Palmer, 37, of Highlands Ranch won the open duathlon in 56:27, along with finishing first in the male 30-39 age group. Mark Dillard, 43, of Englewood placed second overall, along with the win in the male 40-49 age group. Dillard posted a time of 57:20. Casey Hill, 30, of Denver took third overall in the open duathlon with a time of 57:58.
“I love doing Racing Underground Events,” said Hill. “They are the best in Colorado because they are always so low key and relaxed.”
Matt Degitis, 24, of Aurora placed fourth overall in 57:51 while winning the 29 and under age group.
In the fat tire duathlon, Nathan McCrary, 34, of Colorado Springs took first overall in a time of 1:00:16, which also gave him the top spot in the male 30-39 age group. Steve Kovisto, 40, of Littleton finished second overall and first in the 40-49 division in 1:04:15. Andy Rinne, 34, from Colorado Springs placed third overall and second in the 30-39 age group in 1:04:29.
In other age group action, Ryan Marker, 23, of Denver won the 29 and under age group in the fat tire race with a time of 1:10:41.
In the four-mile run, Adam Coy, 22, of Monument won the men’s race in 25:40. And Katherine Green, 31, of Denver won the women’s race in 29:28.
The next race in the Chilly Cheeks series will be held on January 23 at Cherry Creek State Park.
Women’s Duathlon Open
| PLACE | FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | AGE | FINISH TIME | RUN TIME | TRANS | BIKE TIME | CITY |
| 1 | KT | DESANTIS | 47 | 1:06:59 | 31:43:00 | 2:44 | 32:34:00 | ALLENSPARK |
| 2 | CHELSEA | SCHWEID | 32 | 1:08:28 | 30:02:00 | 3:49 | 34:38:00 | DENVER |
| 3 | LAURIE | MIZENER | 40 | 1:09:12 | 30:53:00 | 3:13 | 35:07:00 | BOULDER |
| 4 | CAROLYN | ATWOOD | 23 | 1:10:02 | 30:53:00 | 2:56 | 36:14:00 | COLORADO SPRINGS |
| 5 | SUSAN | KARL | 47 | 1:10:11 | 32:04:00 | 3:03 | 35:05:00 | EVERGREEN |
| 6 | ALEXIS | AULT | 28 | 1:10:16 | 33:32:00 | 3:05 | 33:40:00 | LONGMONT |
| 7 | STEPHANIE | BASILE | 31 | 1:10:49 | 31:48:00 | 3:02 | 36:00:00 | BROOMFIELD |
| 8 | CHRISTINE | GARCIA | 37 | 1:11:40 | 31:36:00 | 3:07 | 36:57:00 | GREENWOOD VILLAGE |
| 9 | COREEN | WRIGHT | 44 | 1:11:51 | 32:21:00 | 3:04 | 36:27:00 | EVERGREEN |
| 10 | VALERIE | KUHNS | 27 | 1:11:52 | 30:53:00 | 2:47 | 38:13:00 | LAKEWOOD |
Women’s Duathlon Fat Tire
| PLACE | FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | FINISH TIME | RUN TIME | TRANS | BIKE TIME | CITY |
| 1 | KIM | FREEMAN | 1:17:21 | 34:52:00 | 2:43 | 39:47:00 | DENVER |
| 2 | MARIAN | MEAD | 1:17:36 | 34:39:00 | 2:53 | 40:05:00 | BOULDER |
| 3 | ROBIN | KEYS | 1:18:56 | 34:50:00 | 2:53 | 41:14:00 | BOULDER |
| 4 | TRISTIN | BARCLAY | 1:22:31 | 37:09:00 | 3:53 | 41:31:00 | LITTLETON |
| 5 | ERIN | CUMMINGS | 1:23:16 | 34:18:00 | 3:23 | 45:36:00 | LAKEWOOD |
| 6 | MARCIA | VAN EDEN | 1:24:32 | 40:22:00 | 3:31 | 40:40:00 | LAFAYETTE |
| 7 | EMILY | VALORA | 1:25:39 | 34:00:00 | 3:06 | 48:35:00 | GOLDEN |
| 8 | LAURIE | NAKAUCHIHAWN | 1:25:44 | 33:30:00 | 3:49 | 48:26:00 | ARVADA |
| 9 | KRISTI | DALE | 1:27:29 | 36:34:00 | 4:49 | 46:06:00 | HIGHLANDS RANCH |
| 10 | MICHELE | DAVIS | 1:28:50 | 38:03:00 | 4:22 | 46:26:00 | DENVER |
Men’s Duathlon Open
| PLACE | FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | AGE | FINISH TIME | RUN TIME | TRANS | BIKE TIME | CITY |
| 1 | ANDY | PALMER | 37 | 56:27:00 | 26:10:00 | 2:08 | 28:10:00 | HIGHLANDS RANCH |
| 2 | MARK | DILLARD | 43 | 57:20:00 | 26:16:00 | 2:34 | 28:31:00 | ENGLEWOOD |
| 3 | CASEY | HILL | 30 | 57:28:00 | 25:54:00 | 3:35 | 28:00:00 | DENVER |
| 4 | MATT | DEGITIS | 24 | 57:51:00 | 26:16:00 | 2:22 | 29:13:00 | AURORA |
| 5 | CODY | WAITE | 31 | 58:08:00 | 25:23:00 | 2:23 | 30:23:00 | LAKEWOOD |
| 6 | TIM | SANDELL | 44 | 58:21:00 | 26:34:00 | 2:16 | 29:32:00 | COLORADO SPRINGS |
| 7 | ADAM | RICH | 28 | 59:21:00 | 21:27 | 2:15 | 35:40:00 | COLORADO SPRINGS |
| 8 | KEVIN | PORTER | 34 | 59:45:00 | 26:52:00 | 2:06 | 30:48:00 | COLORADO SPRINGS |
| 9 | DAVE | MUSCIANISI | 39 | 59:56:00 | 27:14:00 | 2:30 | 30:13:00 | LITTLETON |
| 10 | TAYLOR | RONNE | 24 | 1:00:10 | 25:38:00 | 3:03 | 31:30:00 | FORT COLLINS |
Men’s Duathlon Fat Tire
| PLACE | FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | AGE | FINISH TIME | RUN TIME | TRANS | BIKE TIME | CITY |
| 1 | NATHAN | MCCRARY | 34 | 1:00:16 | 25:58:00 | 1:48 | 32:31:00 | COLORADO SPRINGS |
| 2 | STEVE | KOVISTO | 40 | 1:04:15 | 27:16:00 | 2:39 | 34:21:00 | LITTLETON |
| 3 | ANDY | RINNE | 34 | 1:04:29 | 23:22 | 3:04 | 38:03:00 | COLORADO SPRINGS |
| 4 | PAUL | MARTIN | 42 | 1:05:03 | 28:47:00 | 3:04 | 33:12:00 | BOULDER |
| 5 | TIM | MACINTRYE | 30 | 1:06:38 | 26:26:00 | 3:04 | 37:09:00 | ARVADA |
| 6 | RAY | CHURGOVICH | 44 | 1:06:54 | 30:20:00 | 2:42 | 33:53:00 | BROOMFIELD |
| 7 | CHANDLER | NEWHALL | 30 | 1:07:42 | 29:18:00 | 3:17 | 35:08:00 | BRIGHTON |
| 8 | ERIC | LUDEMANN | 31 | 1:07:58 | 31:13:00 | 3:01 | 33:45:00 | BOULDER |
| 9 | JEFF | YOUNG | 39 | 1:08:45 | 31:05:00 | 2:59 | 34:42:00 | LITTLETON |
| 10 | BRIAN | KITCHENS | 37 | 1:09:56 | 29:56:00 | 3:05 | 36:55:00 | LITTLETON |
