Rocky Mountain High on the Prairie

Yesterday, the Colorado Running Hall of Fame announced the inductees to their 2013 class.

Three of the athletes have impressive running histories in Minnesota as well.

Jane Welzel

Jane Welzel was the National Marathon Champion (2:33:25) in 1990 (Grandma's Marathon, Duluth, Minnesota). She also won Grandma's in 1992 (2:33:01, a personal best). She has the distinction of being one of three women who are five-time U.S. Olympic Women's Marathon Trials qualifier (1984, '88, '92, '96, '00). The others are Julie Peterson and Minnesotan Janice Ettle. Only Minnesotan Bev Docherty completed the first six Trials (1984-2004).

Doug Bell
(photo: Juan Leal)

Jay Johnson, who grew up in Lakeville, Minnesota, ran the 1977 Paavo Nurmi Marathon in Hurley, Wisconsin, when he was just a high school student. He ran a very impressive 2:28:45. Coincidentally, Minnesota-born Dick Beardsley ran his first marathon (2:47:14) at the 1977 Paavo Nurmi.

Doug Bell holds a number of Minnesota road racing records spanning more than a quarter century of racing.


Minnesota Age Group Records

Age Group	Distance	Rank	Time	Age	Date	Race
40-44	5K	#1	14:36	41	10-3-92	TCM 5K
	13.1 Mile	#2	1:08:43	41	9-13-92	City of Lakes 25K (split)
50-54	5K	#1	15:51	51	8-4-02	Hennepin Lake Classic
55-59	5K	#1	16:18	56	8-5-07	Hennepin Lake Classic

Minnesota Single Age Records

	Age	Time	Date	Race
5K	39	14:43	10-13-90	TCM 5K
	41	14:36	10-3-92	TCM 5K
	47	15:42	7-19-98	Race for Action
	51	15:51	8-4-02	Hennepin Lake Classic
	56	16:18	8-5-07	Hennepin Lake Classic
8K	36	23:42	3-15-87	Saint Patrick's Day 5 Mile
10 Mile	48	54:50	10-3-99	TC-10 Mile
13.1 Mile	41	1:08:43	9-13-92	City of Lakes 25K (split)
25K	41	1:21:24	9-13-92	City of Lakes 25K

Doug Bell's race records are courtesy of the Minnesota Data Running Center.