Bolder Boulder 2015: Results and Times for Top Finishers

The annual Bolder Boulder run in Colorado serves as a 10-kilometer test of endurance while also honoring the spirit of the Memorial Day holiday.   

A number of different waves accommodates past and present members of the United States military, and there are two distinctive races within the entire event that stand out.

Among the elite 10K competitors, Belete Assefa won the men's race at a blistering pace of 29 minutes and four seconds.

Brian Howell of the Boulder Daily Camera captured Meskerem Assefa striding to the finish line as the women's elite champion, clocking in at 33:31:

Here are the best performers from the elite races:

Men's Place	Name	Team	Time
Women's Place	Name	Team	Time
1	Belete Assefa	Ethiopia	29:04.13
2	Solomon Deksisa	Ethiopia	29:20.72
3	Allan Kiprono	Kenya	29:33.75
4	Bobby Curtis	USA	29:42.87
5	Abdi Abdirahman	USA	29:50.78
6	Tsegay Tuemay	Eritrea	29:55.54
7	Isaac Mukundi Mwangi	Kenya	29:57.41
8	Jared Ward	USA	30:00.22
9	Afewerki Berhane Hidru	Eritrea	30:00.60
10	Tolossa Gedefa	Ethiopia	30:00.87
1	Meskerem Assefa	Ethiopia	33:31.09
2	Amane Gobena	Ethiopia	33:37.61
3	Risper Gesabwa	Kenya	33:53.23
4	Rei Ohara	Japan	34:04.95
5	Makida Abdela	Ethiopia	34:23.44
6	Mattie Suver	USA	34:25.41
7	Neely Spence	USA	34:36.19
8	Brianne Nelson	USA	34:45.81
9	Miho Ihara	Japan	34:46.76
10	Marisol Guadalupe Romero Rosal	Mexico	34:53.85

Although the elite races featured the majority of the most gifted runners, the citizens' race allowed local athletes an opportunity to seize the spotlight.

To go with the day's theme, it was only fitting for a United States Air Force pilot to come out on top with the fastest time among all the competitors in the citizens' race. Ben Payne crossed the finish line first for the men with a magnificent time of 30:40, while Brittni Hutton was well out in front in the women's citizens' race, completing the course in 34:46.

Check out the list of the top 10 citizen finishers below, courtesy of the Denver Post:

Men's Place	Name	Time
Women's Place	Name	Time
1	Ben Payne	30:40
2	Fernando Cabada	30:54
3	Alexander Monroe	31:03
4	Scott Bahlberg	31:09
5	Craig Curley	31:10
6	Riley Coates	31:15
7	Derek Hawkins	31:19
8	Late Registrant (TBA)	31:30
9	Tanner Fruit	31:31
10	Scott Wietecha	31:37
1	Brittni Hutton	34:46
2	Alexander Forseth	35:34
3	Maor Tiyouri	35:50
4	Maggie Callahan	36:04
5	Emma Keenan	36:19
6	Alexa Rogers	36:41
7	Nikola Denev	36:44
8	Melissa Dock	36:53
9	Kara Henry	37:00
10	Carol Smith	37:02

Howell highlighted how swift Hutton, 25, was en route to the top prize:

Payne had been battling tendinitis in his hip and hadn't raced competitively since January, but he still found a way to triumph. The 33-year-old saved his best for last in running the final mile in four minutes, 43 seconds.

"You never know who's going to show up here," said Payne afterward, per the Denver Post's Daniel Petty. "It's a really good fitness test for what's coming this summer and hopefully the Olympic Trials next February."

Prior to the race, Payne shared a picture to illustrate how special Memorial Day is to him:

And that's really what the Bolder Boulder is all about, culminating in a massive Memorial Day tribute at Folsom Field. Whatever happens in the races takes a backseat to the flyovers and national pride on display, which will ensure the continued success of this event.

Numerous elite runners also add to the spectacle and help this wonderful tradition carry on.

The Bolder Boulder crowned deserving champions Monday and brought even more awareness to the patriotic holiday in the states as its participants exuded physical and mental fortitude unmatched by many similarly accessible tests in sports.