Love and Marriage at the University of Colorado
Question: What do the following former University of Colorado distance runners have in common?
- Dathan Ritzenhein and Kalin Toedebusch
- Adam Goucher and Kara Grgas-Wheeler
- Steve Slattery and Sara Gorton
- Brent Vaughn and Sara Ensrud
- Alan Culpepper and Shayne Wille
Answer: They’re all married!
But why? Are the hills of Boulder just ripe with love, or is there something more to this coincidence.
Some might say that a sport like distance running requires such a strong commitment on the road and track that it attracts a very responsible personality type. Or, maybe runners are people who understand the value of commitment. It would also stand to reason, then, that long distance running is such a lonely sport that runners would seek companionship with other runners.
I also believe that because the men’s and women’s track and cross country teams often train together and travel to meets together, they have a higher likelihood of dating each other. In other collegiate sports, the men’s and women’s teams would never share the same buses and hang out at the same venues like they do in track and cross country.
Or, perhaps, these couples were just hoping to spread their super elite gene pool to create future Olympic runner babies!
In this issue, we interview Colorado couple Brent and Sara Vaughn. They talk about running, marriage, and raising their daughter. Check it out on page 28.
Also in this issue, we help you connect with local running and triathlon clubs, as well as find local coaches and training camps. If you’re ready to meet other athletes who share your passion, or if you’re ready to take your training to the next level, you’ll want to see what’s available around the state, beginning on page 20.
Happy trails!
Derek