The 50th running of the Horsetooth Half Marathon will see a number of former champions toeing the line, including four of the last six winners and also the current course record holder.
The course record (1:06:51) was set last year by Dominic Korir. He will be back this year to try and defend his title and perhaps nudge that course record down a little further. He raced a number of half marathons last year, mostly in the 1:03-1:04 range, suggesting good form coming into this year’s Horsetooth Half.
Tyler McCandless was just 8 seconds behind Dominic last year, after winning the race in 2021. He will be back on the start line this year, and comes to the race in great form. Racing what he describes as “arguably one of the best races of my career,” Tyler placed 7th place in a personal best time of 1:02:52 at the USATF Half Marathon Championships in February.
The two other recent champions that will be toeing the line are two-time winner, and former course record holder, Paul Peterson and 2016 men’s champion Stephen Pretak. Also of note on the former champion front, we’re delighted to be welcoming back Andy Ames, the Horsetooth Half’s most winningest runner ever. Andy has won the race four times, most recently in 2001.
Pushing our former champions will be a strong contingent of local and international elites. Kenyan David Bett might offer the stiffest challenge, coming off an impressive win and course record at the November Monterey Bay Half Marathon (1:02:13). At the same race, defending Horsetooth champ Korir was a minute back in fourth. Another two runners in the Monterey Bay field, who will also be running Horsetooth, were fifth placed Josphat Kipchirchir (1:03:20) and Alejandro Martinez Ambrosio in 9th (1:04:20).
From Eldoret, Kenya and a recent graduate of Campbell University in North Carolina, Lawrence Kipkoech is a three-time NCAA D1 Cross Country All American. He comes into the Horsetooth Half with a half marathon PR of 1:02:41.
Also among the lead runners this year will be a trio of local runners with Horsetooth Half pedigree:
Kurt Roeser – 3rd in 2019 (1:08:28), 8th in 2021 and ran 2:17:25 at the 2022 Cal International Marathon
Ben Payne – masters winner in 2021 and two-time Olympic Trials Qualifier in the marathon
Nate Routhier – 6th in 2021 (1:10:50)
Other runners of note entered in the elite field include:
Jared Iacovelli – 1:06:09 at the 2022 San Jose Rock n Roll Half Marathon
Tom Derr – 2:23 at the 2023 Houston Marathon
Adrian Macdonald – two-time Leadville 100 mile champion (2021, 2022)
The racing action starts at 8:30am on Sunday, April 16. Lead runners in the men’s race will hit the finish just after 9:30. Be there to see who takes home top honors!
The prize purse for the 50th running of the Horsetooth Half Marathon has been increased to a total pool of $12,000, with generous support from the Fort Collins Running Club. Payouts go 8 deep and there will be fierce competition to match.
Sara Vaughn’s 2021 course record (1:15:16) is likely to feel some pressure, amid a women’s race that features an interesting mix of regional, international and collegiate talent.
The Women’s Elite Field
Last year’s winner Liz Lagoy will not be returning to defend her title in 2023, which leaves Sophie Seward as the top returning runner. A member of the local Front Range Elite (FRE) training group, Sophie placed third in 2022 and comes into the race this year with a marathon PR of 2:33:23. Sophie ran 2:35:36 at the 2022 Grandmas Marathon, securing her spot at the 2024 US Olympic Team Trials.
Sophie will be joined on the start line by a number of her FRE teammates, including 2018 Horsetooth Half Champion AnnMarie Kirkpatrick, who is coming off a 2:40:34 at the California International Marathon in December. Others from the FRE team include:
Sarah Anderson – fifth in the 2021 Horsetooth Half (1:19:58)
Mary Katherine Andrews – 2:46:13 at the 2022 Berlin Marathon
Grace Morgan – 2:54 at the 2023 Houston Marathon
Among the favorites for this year’s race will be those coming in from overseas. Top seeded among those runners is Kenya’s Joyline Chemutai. She comes into the Horsetooth Half on the back of a race-winning 1:10:58 effort at the Monterey Bay Half Marathon in November of last year.
Joyline will be pushed by a fellow Kenyan and two Ethiopian runners, also with impressive recent performances:
Sarah Naibei – Broad Street 10 Miler Defending Champion (52:04).
Hirut Guangul – winner of two 2022 Rock n’ Roll Half Marathons: Washington DC (1:14:02) and New Jersey (1:14:46).
Weynshet Weldetsadik – placed an impressive ninth at the recent Cherry Blossom 10 Miler (53:47).
Another angle of interest from the women’s elite field is a contingent of recent CSU cross country and track standouts:
Janelle Lincks has been focussed recently on international mountain running competition, but comes in with a 1:13:06 half marathon PR from 2021 and still holds the CSU 3k steeple chase record (10:00:02), set in 2017.
Ashlyn Hilliard was part of last year’s CSU Cross Country team at the NCAA D1 National Championships. She will be making her competitive debut at the half marathon distance. She comes in with 5k/10k PRs of 16:06 & 34:01.
Claudia Burgess was also on the CSU XC team at the NCAAs. She too will be making her competitive debut at the half marathon distance and comes in with 5k/10k PRs of 16:25 & 34:55
Two other runners in the women’s field come in with sub-2:50 marathon PRs. Shayna Barbash ran a 2:49:34 in November at the Indianapolis Marathon, while Ellie Pell ran 2:41:52 at the 2019 Hartford Marathon to qualify for the last U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.
The racing action starts at 8:30am on Sunday, April 16. Lead runners in the women’s race will hit the finish around 9:45am.
The Horsetooth Half Marathon is offering a total potential prize purse of $12,000 for the 50th running of the race. The purse is supported with generous support from the Fort Collins Running Club. In the overall category, money will be awarded to the top 8 finishers. The men’s and women’s winners will take home $1,350 each. An additional $500 is on offer for new course records.
The top three master’s finishers will be awarded cash payouts totaling $1,000. There is also a $200 premium for the first man and first woman to the top of Monster Mountain. The Monster Mountain timing point is the high point on the course, some 500 feet above the race start at mile 1.65.
The top three finishers from the Fort Collins Running Club will also earn cash awards. In order to be eligible for the FCRC-only pool, runners must be a member of the Club as of Dec 31, 2022.
The Fort Collins Running Club was founded in 1973. It has a mission of supporting fitness through running for athletes of all levels and all abilities. The Club offers a cash purse in both the FireKrakcker 5k and the Horsetooh Half Marathon as a means of supporting the competitive, elite-level side of the sport.
For additional information on elite entries and elite athlete information, please visit the Elite section of the race website.
On April 16, 2023 we will be celebrating 50 years of the Horsetooth Half. What started out as a bet between friends in April 1974 has grown to become a beloved Fort Collins spring running tradition.
Whether a veteran race participant or a first-time runner, we’d love to see you on the start line to help us mark the 50th running of the race. We’d also love to see you at some of our anniversary events leading up to race day. These will include a speaker series, a pre-race meal and other events to be announced.
If you’re local, please also consider joining us at any of our free weekly training events, beginning in early January and leading all the way up to the race. The Horsetooth Half Marathon is more than a race. We believe in building community and nurturing a love for running through shared experiences.
The 2022 Horsetooth Half Marathon marked a return to the race’s normal April time slot, with over 1,400 runners from 37 different states celebrating the spring return to racing. Now in its 49th year, race day offered up cool temperatures and some stiff winds out of the west propelling many runners to new personal bests.
None more so than at the front of the field in the men’s race, with first and second both going under the previous course record. The new men’s mark (1:06:51) was set by Colorado Spring’s Dominic Korir, while Salt Lake City’s Liz Lagoy took home the women’s title.
Race times were aided by a strong wind out of the northwest. Although challenging alongside the reservoir as a cross-wind, it turned into a huge tailwind advantage after the turn onto Bingham Hill at the race’s halfway point. Race morning temperatures ranged from the high 30s to low 50s.
In celebration of the beautiful hills that define our state and the course, we annually crown a King and Queen of the Mountain at the course high point just 1.7 miles and +500′ into the race. This year, the crowns went to Liz Lagoy (12:27) and Sean O’Connor (10:13).
Lagoy crested the top of Monster Mountain just 7 seconds ahead of Fort Collins’ Sophie Anders who pressed hard through the hills of Centennial. At the race’s halfway point, Anders had assumed control of the race and held a close to 30 second lead at the race’s halfway point. But while the hills played to Anders’ strengths, the final five miles on the bike path took their toll. With approximately three miles to go, Lagoy reassumed the lead and held it into the finish (1:20:02) where she would need to wait just 30 seconds to see Anders cross the line (1:20:32) and a further three minutes for third place Sophie Seward (1:23:37). Rounding out the top five money spots were Holly McKinney (1:24:58) and Jenna Bensko (1:25:37).
In the men’s race, Sean O’Connor’s early lead on the opening climb was quickly covered by the chase pack, and at the halfway point at the base of Bingham Hill it was Korir and 2012 NCAA Champion Lawi Lalang leading the race with Tyler McCandless just six seconds adrift in third. After giving up more time over Bingham Hill, McCandless would pick up Lalang on the bike path but just fall short of reeling in Korir who held on for the win in a new course record time of 1:06:51. McCandless time of 1:06:59 was also under the race’s previous course record, and Lalang in third posted the race’s fourth fastest time ever (1:07:40). Rounding out the top five were Will Cross (1:08:56) and Sean O’Connor (1:09:46).
It was another fast year and a nice compliment to women’s course record that was set in the fall by Sara Vaughn.
Liz Lagoy breaks the tape as the 2022 women’s champion
Dominic Korir winning the 2022 Horsetooth Half and resetting the record books in the process
Taking home the wins and prize money in the master’s division were Anthony Bruns (1:11:13) and Janet Clements (1:39:06).
Age group award winners took home beautiful pottery awards from famed local potter Amy Hayman. In addition to our award winners, all finishers went home with a beautiful commemorative pint glass from New Belgium Brewing and a unique finisher’s medal that pairs with the fall 2021 medal to complete a single picture from the Fall/Spring Horsetooth Half Double.
In closing, we’d like to thank all of our wonderful volunteers that helped out in many different capacities to help make the 2022 running of the race a success. Thank You! We’d also like to thank our seven wonderful top-tier sponsors who have supported this year’s event with total enthusiasm.
Please visit our sponsor page to see the full list of business sponsors and non-profit volunteer organizations who helped make this year’s race a success.
The Horetooth Half Marathon will again be awarding $8,000 in prize money this year, with generous support from the Fort Collins Running Club.
“The Fort Collins Running Club is committed to supporting runners of all ages, talent, and experience. As part of our mission to support the elite side of the sport in Colorado, the Club has continued its support of the Horsetooth Half prize purse by matching the $4,000 put up by the race, as well as increasing our support of local runners by offering cash awards for our top club members,” said Fort Collins Running Club Vice President, Kate Schulte.
“We love the Horsetooth Half course and its vibe, and want to make it THE race for all Coloradoans, and even all U.S. runners, to add to their bucket list of races. With a challenging and beautiful course, the best post-race party in the state, and now with even more of the best talent in the area, the 49th running of the race is sure to be exciting!”
Two past winners (and holders of the second and third fastest race times) will be in the running for the win on Sunday, April 10.
Last year’s winner & a member of the Fort Collins Running Club Racing Team, Tyler McCandless is back on the start line. In 2021, Tyler ran the third fastest time ever on the course (1:07:52) after three years of trying. He also holds the record for the fastest time to the top of Monster Mountain (9:54) and knows the Horsetooth course well. Tyler is coming off a recent fourth place finish (first American) at the LA Marathon.
Tyler will be up against a stout field though, including one runner who has gone faster. Dominic Korir won the 2019 race in a time of 1:07:34, just six seconds off Gebre Abadi’s 2017 course record. More recently, Dominic finished second at the Philadelphia Distance Run Half Marathon in a time of 1:02:48, suggesting he is in fine fettle.
There will be a strong field pushing our two former winners, including:
Lawi Lalang had a stellar career at the University of Arizona with podium finishes across his career in both XC and track, winning the 2011 NCAA D1 XC National Championship and both the 5,000 & 10,000 races at the 2013 Outdoor D1 Track and Field Championships. Now based in Colorado Springs, Lawi was 10th at the December 2021 USATF Half Marathon Championships in a time of 1:02:49.
Sean O’Connor has come into some form after a DIII career at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. He qualified for the 2020 US Olympic Marathon Trials with a half marathon time of 1:03:45. More recently, in October, he finished 10th at the Broad Street 10 Miler in Philadelphia in a time of 48:05, a race at which Lawi Lalang was sixth (47:10).
Local CSU standout, Carson Hume was fifth at last year’s Horsetooth Half (1:10:35), his first half marathon since stepping up in distance as part of the Fort Collins Running Club Racing Team after a stellar CSU career.
Another local runner and top 10 finisher from last year, Clint Anders, will be toeing the line again on Sunday. Clint was seventh in November in a time of 1:10:52 and is known to attack the hills hard.
Also returning from last year’s top 10 and another Fort Collins local is Nate Routhier (1:10:50, 6th).
Kurt Roeser also returns to the field after an 8th place finish in 2021 (1:11:14) and a third place finish (1:08:28) behind Dominic Korir in 2019.
Will Cross will be lining up at the Horsetooth Half for the first time. He brings a 2:17:33 marathon PR (Chicago, 2019) to the line, putting him firmly in the conversation.
Others in the field include: Christian Leitner (1:09:55 at the Madison Half Marathon); FCRC Racing Team member Calvin Lehn (1:06:53 at the 2020 Houston Half); and Zeb Hanley (1:08:46 at the 2021 Foot Traffic Flat Half Marathon).
Women’s Race
Unlike in the men’s race, there will be no defending champion or former race winner in the women’s field, leaving it wide open.
The top returning runner from last year is Sophie Seward. A member of the local Front Range Elite training group, Sophie placed fourth at last year’s race in a time of 1:19:27 and comes in with a marathon PR of 2:33:23.
Teammate Sophie Anders is coming into form just in time for what could be a really strong run at the Horsetooth Half. Sophie set a new half marathon PR at the Austin Marathon (1:17:40) in February and is coming off a recent 30km trail win at the Behind the Rocks race in Moab, UT.
Salt Lake City’ Liz Lagoy will also be among the favorites on Sunday. She is coming into the race with a newly minted marathon PR of 2:40:15 from the November 2021 Indianapolis Marathon where she finished fifth.
Others in the field who will be among the favorites include:
Molly Callahan – a top 10 finisher from last year (1:24:53) holding a half marathon PR of 1:18:39 from the January 2022 Arizona Half Marathon.
Jenna Bensko – another member of the Fort Collins-based Front Range Elite team who will be vying for a top 10 finish. She comes into the race with a 2:55 marathon PR.
Denver’s Sarah Guhl PR’ed at last year’s New York City Marathon with a time of 2:53:33 and more recently finished third at the Honolulu Marathon.
Jessica Broderick will be running Horsetooth as her second ever half marathon, and she comes in with a PR of 1:21:30 from the Portland Half Marathon.
The racing action starts at 8:30am on Sunday, April 10. Lead runners in the men’s race will hit the finish a bit after 9:30am, with the women close on the men’s heels.
Tyler McCandless winning the 2021 race.Sophie Seward finishing 4th at the 2021 Horsetooth Half
We’re offering free race-day tracking and cheers! Carry your phone and use the RaceJoy mobile app for iPhone or Android to add to your race experience at the Horsetooth Half.
Live Phone Tracking
Supporters near and far can track you live in a map view as you progress along the race course. One map tool will let them track up to 50 participants.
NearMe alerts will let on-course spectators know you’re drawing near.
Find each other using the MeetUp tool.
On-Course GPS Progress Alerts for Runners
Receive progress updates as you complete the course! Audio updates are typically sent at every mile and include pace, elapsed time, and estimated finish time.
We’ll have special messages and encouragement that play for you at key points on course
Have friends and family track your performance.
Track your competition or friends who are also doing the race.
Send-a-Cheer
Receive and send fun, motivational audio cheers.
Use RaceJoy’s Text-to-Cheer to send custom messages.
Start sending cheers to others doing the race at any time!
The 2021 Horsetooth Half Marathon will be remembered for beautiful fall weather and a triumphant return to racing. Now in its 48th year, the November 14th date offered a change from the norm, with falling leaves rather than budding April shoots. Nonetheless, the course was the same and the competition as fierce as ever.
Overall, we saw 1,653 runners from 43 different states cross the finish line. A new record was set by Boulder’s Sara Vaughn in the women’s race, while local favorite Tyler McCandless posted the third fastest time ever in winning the men’s event.
If the conditions weren’t perfect, they were pretty close to it. Race morning temperatures ranged from the high 30s to low 50s and gave way to beautiful post-race conditions which ended up being perfect for hanging out and enjoying the New Belgium Finish Line Party.
In celebration of the beautiful hills that define our state and the course, we annually crown a King and Queen of the Mountain at the course high point just 1.7 miles into the race. This year, the crowns went to Sara Vaughn (11:32) and Garret Lee (10:15).
Vaughn’s Queen of the Mountain lead was just 5 seconds over Briana Boehmer, with a small chase behind Briana. By the turn onto Bingham Hill and the race’s halfway point, Vaughn’s lead over Boehmer had extended to a minute and would continue to increase through to the finish. By the time Vaughn hit Linden St, it was apparent that Ivy Kibet’s 2019 record (1:15:30) was in jeopardy, and a final push from Vaughn was enough to secure a new women’s mark that now stands at 1:15:15. Racing across the line in second, Boehmer’s time of 1:17:53 stands as the fourth best on record, while Bria Wetsch (1:18:17, 3rd), Sophie Seward (1:19:27, 4th) and Sarah Anderson (1:19:58, 5th) posted the fifth through seventh best marks respectively in finishing 3rd through 5th.
It was a fast year!
In the men’s race, Garret Lee’s early lead on the opening climb was quickly covered by the chase pack and by the top of Bingham Hill at mile 7, it was Tyler McCandless and David Goodman with a small lead over a strung-out chase pack of Simon Grannetia, Andrew Tario and Carson Hume. McCandless made his move on the descent to Lions Park and by the bike path had built a lead that he would hold through to the finish (1:07:52). Grannetia (1:09:23) caught Goodman (1:09:34) in the closing miles to claim second, with Goodman holding on for third over Carson Hume (1:10:35) and Andrew Tario (1:10:37) who sprinted it out in the home stretch for the final money spots.
McCandless wins at his third time trying
Taking home the wins and prize money in the master’s division were previous race winner AnnMarie Kirkpatrick (1:23:39) and Colorado Springs’ Ben Payne (1:14:10).
Age group award winners took home beautiful pottery awards from famed local potter Amy Hayman. For those that weren’t able to collect their awards at the post-race prize giving, they are available for pickup for the next few weeks at Altitude Running. In addition to our award winners, all finishers went home with a beautiful commemorative pint glass from New Belgium Brewing and a unique finisher’s medal that will pair with the 2022 medal to complete a single picture from the Fall/Spring Horsetooth Half Double.
Former race winner Pablo Vigil wins the men’s 65-69 age division
In closing, we’d like to thank all of our wonderful volunteers that helped out in many different capacities to help make the 2021 running of the race a success. Thank You! We’d also like to thank our seven wonderful top-tier sponsors who have supported this year’s event with total enthusiasm.
Please visit our sponsor page to see the full list of business sponsors and non-profit volunteer organizations who helped make this year’s race a success.
2021 Horsetooth Half medal will parter with the 2022 medal for a full Horsetooth mountain-scape
The Fort Collins Running Club and Gnar Runners have announced that the 48th running of the Horsetooth Half Marathon, traditionally held on the third Sunday in April, will be rescheduled for Sunday, November 14th.
We are heartened to see progress being made on three separate Coronavirus vaccines, with FDA approval seemingly imminent. After a very tough year, we hope that these vaccines will prove effective in saving lives and allow a return to normality.
Our goal for the 2021 Horsetooth Half is to offer as close-to-normal a race experience as we can, and we believe pushing the race date back to late fall offers the best chance of making that happen.
While there still remain many unknowns as to how exactly the 2021 event will look, the Fort Collins Running Club has decided upon this initial plan of action:
The race will take place on November 14 at the usual time (8:30a), on the usual course (Dixon Canyon to New Belgium Brewing) under what we hope will be close to normal circumstances.
The initial race cap will be 1,000 runners. This is subject to change based on input from County Health and our other permitting partners. There is hope that we will approach our typical field size (2,000).
Those with deferred entries from 2020 will have a priority window to register for the 2021 event. This window will open Tuesday, December 15 and an invite to register will be sent to all deferred entrants. Regular registration will open Friday, December 18. Deferrals can also register anytime through race day as long as there are spots once general registration has opened.
Deferred entries from 2020 will be good for use in 2021, 2022 or 2023. If you choose not to use your deferral in 2021, it will remain valid for two more years. After our 50th anniversary in 2023, deferrals will expire.
If you have a deferred 2020 registration, you can expect to receive an email with specific details on how to claim your free 2021 entry prior to Dec 15.
We will strive to offer as close to a normal race experience as we can, but will prioritize safety above all else. We will adhere to any and all protocols required by the Larimer County Department of Public Health in order to produce a safe event. We hope these will be minimal, but only time will tell.
We’re also extending our COVID registration guarantee. If the race is cancelled or postponed due to the Coronavirus in 2021, we will again offer a 100% deferral opportunity.
We also hope to be able to offer a version of the typical RunningU training program in the lead-up to the event, contingent on public health advice.
Thank you all for your understanding and patience during this time. And here’s to a safe, healthy and ever-closer-to-normal 2021.
You are invited to also share photos from your run through the same form. Results and photos are live as galleries for you to view & celebrate with your fellow runners
Packets will be mailed the week of April 20. If you’d like to pick up a bib before your big run, those are available anytime on the porch of 1461 Edora Rd, Fort Collins.
We’ve added a few more categories to recognize folks who went the extra mile to make the day fun!
Most elevation gain/loss
Oldest Participant
Youngest Participant
Age Group Awards
Furthest distance from Fort Collins!
Awesome Race Photo!
Stroller Power!
Pooch Power!
Depending what creative stories & photos come in, we will likely make up more fun categories to recognize. All submissions are on the honor system.
Finally, if you are thinking of running the course on your own or with a small group of friends on the morning of April 19, know that there are dozens of others considering the same. Coming together as a large gathering – even accidentally – could present a serious health risk.
Please lead the running community in setting an example of health and safety by avoiding that possibility. Enjoy the infinite variety of options to run your virtual race anytime, anywhere between April 1 & 20.
Run strong and stay safe! ~ The Horsetooth Half Team & Fort Collins Running Club
