The 52nd running of the Horsetooth Half Marathon will see a number of former champions toeing the line, including fine previous winners and also the current course record holder. They will be pushed by a strong field of pros and recent collegiate runners.

The course record (1:05:46) was broken in commanding fashion in 2023 by Lawrence Kipkoech. The five-time All American (Campbell University) remains the only male in race history to go under 1:06. He finished third (1:08:26) last year and will be back this year to try and put pressure on his own course record. 

Tyler McCandless is the top returning athlete from last year. The Fort Collins local has run the race six time, finishing on the podium in five of those starts including a win in 2021. He holds a course PR of 1:06:45 (third fastest in race history while finishing second to Kipkoech).

Two-time winner Dominic Korir will also be among the favorites for the 2025 title. This will be Dominic’s fourth time running the Horsetooth Half. He won the 2019 (1:07:34) and 2022 (1:06:51) races, and finished third (1:07:34) in 2023 behind Kipoech and McCandless. In February, Korir ran 2:15:59 at the Hong Kong Marathon on what is considered a very hilly course. 

Two other past champions will be toeing the line on Sunday. Former course record holder Paul Peterson (2013 & 2015 champion) is back for another crack at the course. He’ll be joined by Michael Chavez (2014 champion). 

Other runners who’ll be in the mix on Sunday include:

• Gilbert Boit, three-time All-American (University of Arkansas) with a half marathon PR of 1:04:28 from the 2022 Houston Half and a collegiate 10k PR of 28:09.
• Ryder Searle ran 1:03:58 at Houston this year and has a 2:17:38 marathon PR from Chicago last fall.
• Ben Schneiderman ran a marathon PR of 2:16:09 at the Twin Cities marathon last fall. He has a half marathon PR of 1:07:14 from the Indianapolis Mini Marathon last May.
• Ben Randall won and set the Colorado Marathon course record (2:24:06) in 2023. The CSU graduate holds college PRs of 29:44 in the 10k and 14:33 in the 5k.
• John O’Malley is another recent college grad (Mines) who is stepping up in distance to run his first half marathon on Sunday. He has college PRs of 29:32 (10k, altitude adjusted) and 13:56 (5k, altitude adjusted).
• Andy Wacker is a familiar name to those who follow the mountain running scene, but the crossover athlete can do it on all surfaces. Most recently, he was 4th at the USATF Cross Country Championships (30:13) and won last year’s Bermuda Triangle 10k, (30:07).

The racing action starts at 8:00am on Sunday, April 13. Lead runners in the men’s race will hit the finish just after 9:00. Be there to see who takes home top honors!