71-Year-Old Injured Runner Gets Push To Keep Bolder Boulder Streak Alive
DENVER (CBS4) - On Memorial Day, thousands of runners hit the streets for the Bolder Boulder. Among them is an elite group of just 61 people who have run all 40 races.
This year, one of the so-called "Bolder Boulder's Boldest" has been afraid her record would come to an end at 41.
But 71-year-old Susan High of Denver has a solution. She and Jeremy Smith are now a team for this one special race.
"It was kind of the thing to do on Memorial Day," said Susan reminiscing about the Bolder Boulder 10K.
Susan ran the very first one held in 1979 with 2,700 runners and Olympian Frank Shorter in North Boulder Park. She got a taste of glory when the finish line moved to Folsom Field.
"All these people are cheering and you just feel like you're an Olympic champion," she said.
Then the 10K became a must.
"Cut weddings short, family reunions," Susan explained.
In 2015, Susan ran days before having a knee replaced.
"I remember wrapping my knee in corn, frozen corn, and running the race. And, of course, by the time I got to the finish line it was pretty much cooked corn," she laughed.
Susan is one of Bolder Boulder's Boldest -- 53 men and just 8 women -- who have made all 40 races.
But on May 4, for Susan, #41 seemed out of reach.
"I heard the pop," she said.
"You can see the intense bleeding where the hamstrings pulled off the tendon," said orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Genuario at UCHealth Steadman Hawkins Clinic Denver.
Genuario repaired Susan's hamstring. And Jeremy Smith, a physician assistant with UCHealth, offered a solution.
"I'm really passionate about running,'' he said.
He will push Susan in a wheelchair along the 10K course.
"I think it's going to be really rewarding to help somebody keep their streak alive," said Jeremy.
On Monday, look for this unusual team -- Susan, still one of Bolder Boulder's Boldest, and Jeremy, taking victory in stride.
Jeremy may get some help. Susan's friends and tennis buddies have offered to make it a relay team working to get Susan across the finish line.