DOLORES – For many endurance athletes, the number 26 represents a milestone – surviving through the rigorous challenge of a marathon’s 26.2 miles to see the finish line in sight.
The Boggy Draw Beat Down has persevered through its own marathon of sorts – one of the Four Corners’ most hotly contested mountain bike races entered its 26th year on Saturday. With it, hundreds of riders climbed out of Dolores and onto a trek that would see them crisscross dozens of miles of single-track trails in the Boggy Draw trail system.
Competing in a variety of distances, ranging from the 60-mile “Beat Down” all the way down to the brand-new family-friendly “Easy Breezy” 3-mile town ride, the number of entrants and the impressive legacy of the race continues to grow.
Instrumental support from the Southwest Colorado Cycling Association keeps the trail system in top condition, helping make Boggy Draw one of the region’s premier riding destinations. According to race director Susan Lisak, the SWCCA and the Rotary Club of Dolores are just a couple of the many organizations that have allowed the Beat Down to flourish.
“We start our preparations a year in advance, and it starts with a group of about 25 volunteers through the Rotary, working with sponsors and the National Forest Service – until we get all the details sorted out,” Lisak said.
Between the six different race distances, the event eclipsed over 200 riders, a number that has more than doubled over the past decade. With each passing year, the Beat Down adds new elements to accommodate the growing interest.
“With so many family members waiting for their racer to complete, we thought we’d add in a simple 3-mile ride this year to help them get involved, too,” Lisak said. “It’s a race that has changed so much from where we began. We were using stop watches and writing results down on paper – now we have the professional timing, finishing photos, a professional emcee – it’s been a major evolution.”
From the thousands of dollars raised through sponsorship, the Rotary Club of Dolores has allocated money toward scholarships, food boxes and bike giveaways.
“Our mission is student leadership, so a lot of the money that we raise goes toward the kids in our community,” Lisak said.
While social media has been a prominent way for the Beat Down to continue gaining traction, participants have driven the biggest boost.
“Word-of-mouth has been a major promotion for this event – a lot of our new racers have heard about it through friends who enjoyed the Beat Down in previous years,” said Lisak.
In the 33-mile “Oso” men’s competition, Ivan Sippy, 20, claimed the top spot in 2 hours, 12 minutes, topping Durango’s Erich McAlister (2 hours, 30 minutes) and Ross Delaplane of Dolores (2 hours, 32 minutes). For the women, Durango’s Blair Matlock won with a time of 2 hours, 47 minutes.
In the 18-mile “Overlook” distance, women took the top two overall spots. Diedre Morrison, 33, won with a time of 1 hour, 23 minutes, less than a minute ahead of 15-year-old Delyla Kroenang. Allison Klein of Cortez (1 hour, 53 minutes) posted the third-place finish for the women.
In the men’s division, Marc Sydnor, 61, posted the best time (1 hour, 28 minutes), ahead of Hesperus’ Dean Brown (1 hour 30 minutes) and Shea Allen (1 hour, 33 minutes).
Dolores’ James Neer, 17, collected the top spot in the 15-mile “Goose” race, covering the distance in 1 hour, 52 seconds, narrowly edging Jarrett Cheney (1:01:06). Daniel Rogers of Dolores took third, less than a minute off the pace.
Miranda Rodriguez, 18, won the women’s division with a time of 1:17:34, just 17 seconds ahead of Ridgway’s Neva Hines, 17. Florida teenager Caroline Condon, 14, took third in the women’s race with a time of 1:18:46.
Results from the 60-mile “Beat Down” and “Three Amigos” relay event were not available at press time.
