Steamboat Springs — As passionate as Dan Goding is about Steamboat Springs, and as often as his name comes up in local races, it’s easy to believe he calls the Yampa Valley home. And maybe someday he will, but the fourth-grade teacher actually lives in Loveland and just happens to be one of the Steamboat Springs Running Series’ biggest fans.

“I’ve been coming up pretty much to run in this race series this year. I just love this series. Really love it,” Goding said. “They are the most friendly, laid back races. You meet a lot of great people at these races. I really enjoy coming up and seeing a lot of these same people. It’s got a good community feel to it.”

Goding has a lot of friends and family in Steamboat and is rarely in need of a place to stay, and it’s been the Running Series that has given him a reason to come. He’s raced in the area for a handful of years, but this summer he’s competed in a personal best four races in Steamboat, including Sunday’s 10K at 10,000 feet trail run on Rabbit Ears Pass.

Goding, who turned 39 in late August, said he is now three for three in races since his birthday. Two of those wins came in Steamboat, the first the Continental Divide Trail Run on Aug. 22, the second Sunday’s 10K, which he finished in 46 minutes, 24 seconds.

“I was pretty surprised by how much climbing there was in that race,” said Goding, who had never raced in this event before. “Getting older, I’m starting to think that’s a good thing. I’m getting faster as I get older. Either that or you get wiser as you get older and you race a little bit differently.”

Finishing second in the 10K race was Steamboat’s Watkins Fulk-Gray with a time of 47:51, followed by Allen Belshaw, also of Steamboat, in 49:43. Goding and Fulk-Gray are developing a bit of a rivalry this season, with the two having gone toe-to-toe more than once this summer.

Goding especially recalled the Howelsen Hill 8-miler in June, when Fulk-Gray passed him for second place in the last quarter mile. Coming down the home stretch Sunday in Rabbit Ears, Goding knew he couldn’t let off the gas with Fulk-Gray in chase.

“I just kept looking back, the whole last probably two miles … I tried to just push as hard as I could,” Goding said. “He’s a nice guy. It’s fun to have that kind of competition out here.”

Goding said he hopes to make one more trip out to Steamboat this year for the Emerald Mountain Trail Run, the Running Series points finale on Sept. 26.

Gollnick preparing for World Championships

Winning Sunday’s 10K women’s race was Steamboat’s Penelope Freedman in 51:58, good for fifth overall. Taking second was Heather Gollnick in 56:18. Gollnick, owner and coach of IronEdge Coaching in Steamboat, will head to Chicago in less than two weeks to compete in the World Triathlon Championships, which she qualified for last summer at the national meet.

“I’m really excited,” Gollnick said. “This is a 10K at 10,000 feet, and that’s going to be a 10K, off the bike, at sea level. Totally flat. It should be fun. This was just good training for that. That will hopefully be easy.”

Gollnick, 45, has no plans to slow down before then. An experienced Ironman athlete, Gollnick plans to both coach and compete in a triathlon next weekend in Fruita, just another warm up before the World Championships.

“I don’t really like the down time,” Gollnick joked.

Steamboat skier wins 5K race

Jimmy Colfer, a sophomore at Steamboat Springs High School and Winter Sports Club Nordic skier, won Sunday’s 5K race in 24:22. The 10K at 10,000 feet race is a benefit for the grooming of Bruce’s Trail, a popular cross country ski trail on the west end of Rabbit Ears.

“All races are fun, but it’s really fun especially when it’s benefitting everybody who wants to Nordic ski in the valley,” Colfer said. “I’m a Nordic skier. We just train year round. We never really stop. We do bike races and running races, all for the Nordic skiing in the winter.”

Taking second in the 5K was Benjamin Lingle in 24:40 and third was Cooper Jones in 25:22. The top female was Kathy Johnson in 32:05.

For full results, go here.

Next up in the Running Series is the infamous Run Rabbit Run, which takes place Sept. 18 and 19. The ultras include both a 100-mile and 50-mile endurance race around Steamboat Springs.

To reach Austin Colbert, call 970-871-4204, email acolbert@SteamboatToday.com or follow him on Twitter @Austin_Colbert