This story has been archived from the Friday, August 12, 2005


Five-time champ Larson won’t run

By MERI-JO BORZILLERI
THE GAZETTE

The queen of the mountain is abdicating her throne, for this year at least.

Erica Larson, the Los Alamos, N.M., scientist who has won the Pikes Peak Marathon five of the past six years, said Thursday she will not run the Aug. 21 race despite it being the 50th running of the historic event.

Larson, who turned 34 Thursday, said a calf muscle injury and strep throat over the winter put her behind in training for the 26.2-mile run up and down 14,115-foot Pikes Peak.

“That’s too bad,” race director Ron Ilgen said. “We would have liked to have seen her continue her streak.”

Larson, who competed in the 2004 Olympic marathon trials but did not make the team, said she wanted to do more speed work. She said she plans to try for the 2008 Olympics.

“I might do some trail races around here,” Larson said by phone from Los Alamos.

Larson is the second prominent multiple-time champion who decided to skip the race this year. Manitou Springs’ Matt Carpenter, who has won six Marathons and five Ascents (one way), chose to compete in the Leadville Trail 100-mile ultramarathon the same weekend.

Ilgen said Larson’s race slot, reserved for elite runners and former champions, will not be filled.


CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0259 or merijo@gazette.com


Copyright 2005, The Gazette, a division of Freedom Colorado Information. All rights reserved. Used with permission.


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