{"id":2446308,"date":"2019-07-13T22:56:00","date_gmt":"2019-07-14T04:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/cool-runnings-2-kory-cool-wins-second-aspen-valley-marathon\/"},"modified":"2019-07-13T22:56:00","modified_gmt":"2019-07-14T04:56:00","slug":"cool-runnings-2-kory-cool-wins-second-aspen-valley-marathon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/cool-runnings-2-kory-cool-wins-second-aspen-valley-marathon\/","title":{"rendered":"Cool Runnings 2: Kory Cool wins second Aspen Valley Marathon"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.9335766423358\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-309405-394\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | Kory Cool of Kansas celebrates after winning the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019, in Basalt. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>Kory Cool of Kansas celebrates after winning the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019, in Basalt. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1.jpg\" alt=\"Kory Cool of Kansas celebrates after winning the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019, in Basalt. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-1.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | Runners take off from the start of the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019, in downtown Aspen. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>Runners take off from the start of the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019, in downtown Aspen. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-1.jpg\" alt=\"Runners take off from the start of the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019, in downtown Aspen. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-2.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | Runners take off from the start of the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019, in downtown Aspen. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>Runners take off from the start of the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019, in downtown Aspen. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-2.jpg\" alt=\"Runners take off from the start of the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019, in downtown Aspen. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-3-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-3.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | Broomfield's Tyler Arko crosses over a pedestrian bridge near Basalt during the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. He finished 13th overall. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>Broomfield&#8217;s Tyler Arko crosses over a pedestrian bridge near Basalt during the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. He finished 13th overall. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-3.jpg\" alt=\"Broomfield's Tyler Arko crosses over a pedestrian bridge near Basalt during the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. He finished 13th overall. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-4-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-4.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | A group of runners cross over a pedestrian bridge near Basalt during the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"10\">\n<p><strong>A group of runners cross over a pedestrian bridge near Basalt during the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-4.jpg\" alt=\"A group of runners cross over a pedestrian bridge near Basalt during the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-5-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-5.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | Aspen's Ashley Connolly laughs after winning the Aspen Valley Half Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"10\">\n<p><strong>Aspen&#8217;s Ashley Connolly laughs after winning the Aspen Valley Half Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-5.jpg\" alt=\"Aspen's Ashley Connolly laughs after winning the Aspen Valley Half Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-6-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-6.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | Aspen's Shelley Roy gets a high five as she approaches the finish of the Aspen Valley Half Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>Aspen&#8217;s Shelley Roy gets a high five as she approaches the finish of the Aspen Valley Half Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-6.jpg\" alt=\"Aspen's Shelley Roy gets a high five as she approaches the finish of the Aspen Valley Half Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-7-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-7.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | Mason Mitchell attempts to hold off Gary Krugger for second place in the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"10\">\n<p><strong>Mason Mitchell attempts to hold off Gary Krugger for second place in the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-7.jpg\" alt=\"Mason Mitchell attempts to hold off Gary Krugger for second place in the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-8-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-8.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | Louisiana's Melanie Quintana celebrates after she finishes the Aspen Valley Half Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"10\">\n<p><strong>Louisiana&#8217;s Melanie Quintana celebrates after she finishes the Aspen Valley Half Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-8.jpg\" alt=\"Louisiana's Melanie Quintana celebrates after she finishes the Aspen Valley Half Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-9-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-9.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | Carbondale's Guillermo Ceja, right, chats with Mary Cote of Snowmass Village after finishing the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"13\">\n<p><strong>Carbondale&#8217;s Guillermo Ceja, right, chats with Mary Cote of Snowmass Village after finishing the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-9.jpg\" alt=\"Carbondale's Guillermo Ceja, right, chats with Mary Cote of Snowmass Village after finishing the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-10-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-10.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | Louisiana's Donald Quintana crosses the finish line of the Aspen Valley Half Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. He won the race. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>Louisiana&#8217;s Donald Quintana crosses the finish line of the Aspen Valley Half Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. He won the race. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-10.jpg\" alt=\"Louisiana's Donald Quintana crosses the finish line of the Aspen Valley Half Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. He won the race. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-11-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-11.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | Lakewood's Rebecca Smith crosses the finish line after winning the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"10\">\n<p><strong>Lakewood&#8217;s Rebecca Smith crosses the finish line after winning the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-11.jpg\" alt=\"Lakewood's Rebecca Smith crosses the finish line after winning the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-12-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-12.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | Indiana's Greg Schahet leads a pack of runners to the finish of the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"10\">\n<p><strong>Indiana&#8217;s Greg Schahet leads a pack of runners to the finish of the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-12.jpg\" alt=\"Indiana's Greg Schahet leads a pack of runners to the finish of the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-13-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-13.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | Houston's Jade Graham approaches the finish of the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"10\">\n<p><strong>Houston&#8217;s Jade Graham approaches the finish of the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/marathon-atd-071419-1-13.jpg\" alt=\"Houston's Jade Graham approaches the finish of the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/cool-runnings-2-kory-cool-wins-second-aspen-valley-marathon\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/cool-runnings-2-kory-cool-wins-second-aspen-valley-marathon\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText DropCap\">Make that four in a row for Kory Cool.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">No matter the distance, the <a href=\"https:\/\/themercury.com\/sports\/manhattan-high-track-coach--time-marathon-winner-kory-cool\/article_47b24a1a-2d33-56ae-add3-504e5fa4537a.html\">high school track and field coach from Kansas<\/a> has the Aspen Valley Marathon pretty well dialed in. He couldn\u2019t quite get to his own course record on Saturday, but Cool was hot enough to outdistance the field to win the 26.2-mile race from Aspen to Basalt\u2019s Lions Park.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cYou just never know who is going to show up,\u201d said Cool, who did not expect to win. \u201cThere are a lot of people out there who are faster than me. They just didn\u2019t come here today.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Cool, 32, finished Saturday\u2019s ninth annual marathon in 2 hours, 41 minutes, 59 seconds, easily outdistancing Fairplay\u2019s Mason Mitchell (2:48:24) and Arizona\u2019s Gary Krugger (2:48:27), who finished second and third, respectively. Krugger is a three-time Aspen Valley Marathon winner (2012, 2013, 2016) and held the course record until Cool beat it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/cool-runnings-kansas-native-sets-course-record-in-aspen-valley-marathon-win\/\">when he won the 2017 Aspen marathon<\/a> in 2:38:17.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">While it was only his second win in the full marathon, it was Cool\u2019s fourth straight win in Basalt. In 2016, Cool won the Aspen Valley Half Marathon and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/perez-billings-win-eighth-annual-aspen-valley-marathon\/\">last summer he won the 5k<\/a>, which he ran only because he felt he wasn\u2019t in marathon shape.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cIn my training I\u2019ve been doing well leading up to this. I\u2019m healthy, so I wanted to do the full again,\u201d Cool said of returning to the marathon. \u201cIt was mentally very, very tough. I\u2019ve only run probably about three or four marathons since this win two years ago. So I\u2019m still kind of getting used to it again. The last probably eight miles were really, really tough.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The top local finisher in Saturday\u2019s marathon was Carbondale\u2019s Guillermo Ceja, who was eighth in 3:02:53. Hayes Ward, also of Carbondale, was 12th in 3:12:38.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/runsignup.com\/Race\/Results\/63967\/#resultSetId-162833;perpage:10\">Complete results can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">For Cool, winning the marathon is certainly among the highlights of his summer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI really was just hoping to do well here. This was my main focus,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is always a big family thing. We love coming here. This is a great, great area and we plan on coming back for many more years.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Taking the women\u2019s race was Lakewood\u2019s Rebecca Smith. She was 15th overall with a time of 3:19:00. She didn\u2019t have much room to spare, as Boulder\u2019s Kay Borleis finished only 12 seconds back in 16th place. Whitney Dutton of Texas was the third woman, finishing 17th in 3:22:05.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cIt\u2019s good. It was unexpected, for sure,\u201d the 34-year-old Smith said of her win. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t too big of a downhill. It was beautiful the whole way. It was nice and cool for the first three-quarters of the race, so it was awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">More than anything, Smith was hoping to again qualify for the Boston Marathon, a race she\u2019s ran three times, and did so with little difficulty. She said the Aspen marathon was her 11th at the distance and her second win. She also won in Estes Park a few years ago.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">Quintana, Connolly win half marathon titles<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Their matching shirts were certainly endearing. Both Donald Quintana and his wife, Melanie, took to the Aspen Valley Half Marathon with a similar wardrobe, their last name emblazoned across their chest.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Turns out, that wasn\u2019t the first time the couple had run together wearing that attire.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWe met about three years ago and we just got married last year,\u201d Donald Quintana said. \u201cThat\u2019s where the jerseys are from. We wore these at the end of our wedding and ran home from our wedding.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">They were a pretty formidable pair on Saturday, with Donald winning the half marathon with a time of 1:27:40, while Melanie was 10th overall and fourth among women in 1:36:19. Coming from New Orleans, Donald admitted to being intimidated by the elevation and certainly didn\u2019t expect to win.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cNormally I\u2019m that guy who is in that second pack right behind the winner. So I was surprised,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m coming from sea level. I don\u2019t get to see pretty mountains and everything. It\u2019s just a beautiful course out there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Quintana, 36, won the half marathon by more than a minute over Arvada\u2019s Tyler Thyfault (1:28:56), with Danny Chester taking third (1:29:05).<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The women\u2019s half marathon was won by Aspen\u2019s Ashley Connolly. She was fifth overall in 1:30:30, edging out Missouri\u2019s Emily Lanter, who was seventh overall in 1:31:52. Mary Cote of Snowmass was the third woman in the half, finishing eighth overall in 1:35:16.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cUsually there is a ringer or two ahead of me. I can\u2019t think of a half that I\u2019ve won, at least recently, so this is exciting,\u201d said the 43-year-old Connolly, who also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/the-maples-remain-a-constant-at-annual-avsc-fourth-of-july-picnic\/\">won the Boogie\u2019s Buddy Race<\/a> 5-miler on the Fourth of July. \u201cI was shocked to win this one because last year I ran and my time was about the same and I was like the seventh girl. There were so many fast girls last year, but this year apparently I was the fast girl. So I\u2019ll take it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">A 5k wrapped up Saturday\u2019s festivities, with Tennessee\u2019s Abigayle Gawthorp stealing the show. Not only was the 21-year-old the top woman in 26:06, but she also beat all the men to take the overall race title. Jeffrey Trendel was second overall and first among men in 27:14.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Tagline\"><a href=\"mailto:acolbert@aspentimes.com\">acolbert@aspentimes.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/cool-runnings-2-kory-cool-wins-second-aspen-valley-marathon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kory Cool of Kansas celebrates after winning the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019, in Basalt. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times Runners take off from the start of the Aspen Valley Marathon on Saturday, July 13, 2019, in downtown Aspen. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2446308","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-21 06:49:53","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSPN The Valley&#039;s Quality Rock","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2446308","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2446308"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2446308\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2446308"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2446308"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2446308"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}