Now follow the action: Colorado Runner revamps the Racing Series results and standings

There's a lot I don't like about this series.
It's extremely 5K-slanted. 6 of 16 races are 5Ks. 5 more are less than 10 miles.
When I think of Colorado racing, I think of things like the Pike's Peak Ascent and Marathon, Imogene Pass, Mt. Evans Ascent, Vail Hill Climb, Leadville Trail Marathon, Leadville 100, Hardrock 100, ...
Garden of the Gods and the Lead King Loop are tough races on this list, but mostly these races are for speedsters, not the real mountain runners.
And this series has no limit on the number of races you can score in, so it is a big plus to just have more free weekends to race. Those who need to train for long, tough endurance races lose out to those who can run a short race every weekend.
In contrast, we have the Arizona Road Racers Grand Prix Series here in Arizona. (We have several series, but this is the big one.)
The ARR series has races from the Tucson Marathon to 1 mile on the track at Glendale Community College.
Since a runner can only score in 10 of the 13 races, anyone who does not run marathons, or track, or doesn't like any particular race for any reason, can safely stay away from three of the series races without losing any ground to the competition.
This series just makes a lot more sense to me.
For a couple of reasons, some of the local RDs seem to like the series. They will sometimes mention it on their web sites and in their flyers. They will ask at the start line how many Grand Prix runners are in the crowd.
One of the benefits for race directors is that Steve Finkelstein of the ARR, a race-timing miracle-worker, will help out with the race if they need it. Sometimes it is only because Steve got involved that they even have reasonable race results data at the end of some of the smaller races.
I'm looking forward to seeing how you do in the Lead King 25K race, Simon. That should be a real challenge for you, outside of your comfort zone.

You're assuming I have a comfort zone, hahahaha.

Actually I'm looking forward to the Lead King, as it seems to be in some spectacular country.

Admittedly, I'm a newcomer to Colorado, but the races you think of are at the extreme end of what goes on here, surely? When I think of local races, I naturally come up with the Bolder Boulder 10k, the Pearl Street Mile and its sisters the Uni Hill 2k and the 3k, the Dash 'n' Dine evening 5k series, not to mention the Boulder Road Runners summer track series. As you can see, I rarely have to leave Boulder to enjoy my kind of races.

The Colorado Runner series has its shortcomings, but in its defense I have to say that, firstly, in practice the series winners rarely run all the races; I think last year the winners ran from 11 to about 14 of what was then 18 events -- so there is the same kind of leeway to miss races that don't suit you. Secondly, one thing I like about the series is that if you do want to run the whole thing you will have to maintain some kind of fitness and form -- and stay clear of injury -- from January through to November.

Last year's winner in the men's open division was Peter Vail, the Canadian marathoner, who was racking up 100 miles a week in pursuit of a berth on the Canadian marathon team for the world championships. But I guess you don't rate that as a long, tough endurance race?

> Last year's winner in the men's open division was Peter Vail,....

> But I guess you don't rate that as a long, tough endurance race?

I stand corrected.
Maybe he's just an exceptional runner able to persevere and win despite the fact that the series favors others?

I don't live in Colorado, so I don't hear about all the little races. And I have kind of a fascination with the tough courses, so I keep an eye out for them and they stick in my memory.
As you dream about breaking 5 minutes for the mile, I dream of finishing the Hardrock 100.
I have to admit that I hear about the Bolder Boulder every year and have had friends recommend it.
And I should also admit most competitors in the ARR Grand Prix don't complete 10 series races. I was first in my age group in 2006 despite the fact that there are many faster guys my age, mainly because I ran 11 of the 13 races.

The Leadville and Hardrock 100 mile races are at the extreme end of 100 mile races, which kind of puts them at the extreme end of everything. I wasn't really suggesting they should be in the series, only that I think of that kind of thing when I think of Colorado running.

"Extreme end of everything..." like it! That does sum them up, doesn't it?

The Hardrock Hundred, if you don't mind me saying so, is a particularly insane race :) as I understand that not being satisfied with running 100 miles you also take on some 30,000 feet of climbing. A great goal to have!

I'll also come clean and admit that in my wilder moments I dream of running the 150-mile Spartathlon, the "real" marathon that Scott Jurek currently owns. Although I am orientated towards 5k and the mile, my whole being salivates when I read:

"The race traces the classical route of Pheidippides, an Athenian messenger sent to Sparta in 490 BC to seek help against the Persians in the Battle of Marathon. The Spartathlon is one of the world’s most gruelling races, running over rough tracks and muddy paths, crossing vineyards and olive groves, steep hillsides and, most challenging of all, the 1,200m ascent and descent of Mount Parthenio in the dead of night. This year’s race started at the Acropolis in Athens on Friday and ended in the southern Greek town of Sparta."

So, you see, there is hope for me :)