Atlas Snowshoes

Name: Colleen Ihnken

Home Base: Alma, CO

Occupation: Nurse Practitioner

Years on Atlas Racing: 6

My Story:

Darn it all, I AM competitive! This creates some stress at home as I am a new-ish mom, (my son Tarn is 17 months now), and at 43 I still think I can do it all. Basically, I love racing. I love how it challenges me, but most of all I think it is the camaraderie that I enjoy the most. At any given event I feel as if I am with my extended family. That said I am particular about the events I prefer - grassroots, freakin' tough, SCENIC, challenging courses.

That's what I adore about snowshoe racing. It is all of the above. I can remember my first race. Seems I spent most of my time face down in the snow trying to disentangle myself (from myself) and when not face down, sliding down. But I was hooked. I loved the challenge and man is it an aerobic workout! Egad!

I love being out in the woods, hopping over logs, crossing streams, ricocheting off trees on a steep downhill, watching my dogs get face shots. I also enjoy that snowshoeing is a sport for any and all. When friends and family come to town it's easy for me to strap them into a pair, strap Tarn onto my back and head out into the woods. I support my habit by working as a Nurse Practitioner in Fairplay, Colorado along with moonlighting in the Emergency Room in Frisco, Colorado.

Accomplishments:

1st place Huairasinchi Expedition Race, Ecuador.
1st place Mary's Loop Run, women's division.
2nd place female, COSMIC Randonnee Series, telemark division.
Adventure Xstream, Team Eolus, currently 1st place overall.
Teva Games Ultimate Mountain Challenge, 6th place female (after driving mountain bike into parking garage and borrowing a replacement bike and leaving my front wheel for time trial at home - wasn't my best weekend)
Lake City 50 - my first 50-mile trail run - 1st place 40 - 45, 7th female overall
12 hour Adventure Xstream, Buena Vista, 2nd place Elite division.
Swift Skeddaddle Snowshoe Race Silverthorne, First place female.
Swift Skeddadle Snowshoe Race USSSA National Qualifier, Breckenridge, Colorado, First place female 40-49.
Loveland Cosmic Randonnee Rally Race, 2nd place Telemark Division.
Arapahoe Basin Marmot Grind, 2nd place Telemark Division.

Xterra Winter Worlds, 2nd female 40 - 49

Lake City 50 –– 1st place 40 – 45

Summit Trail Running Series Champion, Female, Age 40-49

Solomon 7 K Gold Rush Snowshoe Race, 1st female.

Sage Burner 50 K, 1st place female, 40 – 49

Elk Mountain Traverse Backcountry Ski Race, 2nd place female team 40 – 49.

Swift Skedaddle Snowshoe Race, 2nd female

Turquoise Lake 20 mile Snowshoe Race, 1st female

Run For the Mountains 10 K trail race, 1st female

Run Rabbit Run, 50-mile trail race, 1st female, Master’s division.

Swift Skeddadle Snowshoe Race USSSA National Qualifier, Breckenridge, Colorado, 2nd place female 40-49.

Arapahoe Basin Marmot Grind, 1st place Telemark Division.

Season Goals:
Race more. I would also like to do the National Championships. I qualified last year but didn't think the course suited me. This year in Colorado, hopefully the race will consist of plenty of stump jumping, butt sliding and single track.