Darren Brungardt

Running in Berthoud. It is my hometown. I ran my PR for the 5K in 16:37 in 2005 at that race.

"Put the watch down and have a little fun!" RP

City: Dillon State: CO

Favorite Shoe: Nike Air Max Moto Size: 12

Age: 28.6 years old

Marital Status: Single

Family members:
The mountain lions, porcupines, and bears that follow me on my runs.

What I do for work:
High School Math Teacher and High School Cross Country and Track and Field Coach.

Places I’ve called home and why I like where I am now:
Hometown in Berthoud, CO. Lived in Gries, Germany near Kaiserslauten/Ramstein; Salinas, CA; El Paso, TX; and born in Brighton, CO. Now live in Dillon, CO for the beautiful summers and snowpacked trails in the winter.

When I started running and what got me started:
Started running in 2/97 as a high school sprinter. Coach said I was too slow so I started running distance, and that's the rest of the story.

What does running mean to me:
It is a way for me to challenge myself physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. Has made me grow into the man I am today and has inspired me to be greater everyday.

Running accomplishments:
All Conference performer as a prep at Berthoud High School in 1999 and 2000 in the 4x800 relay. Helped set the school record in 2000 in the 4x800 relay. Member of the University of Northern Colorado Track and Field squad from 2/2002-5/2005. Two wonderful seasons, two seasons of growth...lol...and one tough redshirt season from 2000-2001. Ran the 5K and 10K for the Bears. PRs 400m: :58.7, 800m: 2:10.56, Mile: 4:50, 3000m: 9:44, 5000: 16:37, 10000m: 35:21. All of my PRs are at altitude. I am not super fast but I love what I do. I have won the Sunrise Stampede 2 Mile in 2005 and I won the Bob Turner Classic 5K in 2005. I work to finish in the top 5 in every race I run.

What I like about trail/mountain running:
Running up hills that are really hard and keeping off those darn roads.

Favorite running trail and why:
Straight Creek Trail in Dillon. It is a great trail that runs to the Eisenhower Tunnel. Over 2000 feet in elevation gain. It is really hard, all up hill the whole way. No one is ever up that high on the trail with me...peaceful. I can climb over the Continental Divide if I want on that trail and run to Boulder...yeah right! Saw my first Porcupine on the trail. It was huge!

Favorite trail/mountain race and why:
Summit High School Cross Country Invite. My favorite because SHS athletes run it fast!

Best running experience:
Best race: 10K on the track at UNC at the Tom Benich Classic in 2004. I ran it in 35:21. I ran every single lap in 1:25. I was perfect...all 25 laps. I couldn't have run it smarter or better. I look back at that race and think of how mentally tough I was. The time is still the best I have ever run. Howl-oween 4K in Fort Collins in 2004 was awesome...I posted a 12:52...I flew...best race athletically. Turkey Trot 2004 in Greeley was my best emotional race ever. I had not been training real hard. Two nights before the race I found my friend had been seriously hurt in an accident. I ran the race still and PRed by over 9 seconds with a time of 16:45. It was like I was taken over by some force. I ran the last 1.1 mile in 5:40 where I had ran the first two miles in 11:05. Found out the next night my friend had died the night before the race.

Worst running experience:
10K at Kansas Relays in 2005. Was shooting to run a sub 35 minute 10K. Ran the first 5K in 17:02 and felt awesome. The fourth mile was a bit slower but still on pace. The last two miles still wake me up at night having nightmares and cold sweats. I think every muscle cramped up in my legs but I did not stop running. I was practically walking it. It ended up being my last race as a collegiate runner since I ran so awful. Since I was running it on the track all of my teammates were watching me and had to wait for me to finish since I was the last event. I took last. I am glad I have more good races than bad ones...this one is worth about 13 bad races.

Neatest thing found on a run:
Found a cool beat up blue truck bed on the Straight Creek Trail...It was by accident. Decided to watch the creek flow for a minute. I leaned over an emakement and boom there it was. It was just by chance. There is no real way it could have gotten there. I want to find out how and when it was left there. When I started running again I saw that imfamous porcupine and ran down the hill like a sissy.

Running related bathroom stop story:
None really...my friend had to go number 2 during a race in Fort Morgan our senior year in high school cross country. I found out after the race because he ran so slow and asked him what went wrong. I think he had to go twice. Don't walk off the trail at the River Park in Fort Morgan.

Running pet peeves:
I dislike cocky runners...a lot. They bother me, especially when they beat me. It's probably because I am a little cocky too :) I get pretty fired up when they talk their talk before races. I have beat a lot of them but it seems more and more they are beating me up. The worst are cocky women runners...but most time they are cute so I can let it go. Also people who don't acknowledge me on trails when I say hello, hi, good morning, evening...they are so in their little world. Look up and interact for once ya jerks!

Something non running related that no one would guess about me:
I am a death metal fan. The harder and faster the better. Check out Norma Jean, Mastodon, Tool, or the Deftones before runs...it helps.

Other hobbies and interests:
I am pretty much just a runner. I have started climbing 14ers. I am terrified of heights but it is fun.

Other stuff:
I am going to run a 15:59.99 5K one day. I am going to run a 10K at sea level again...real fast and break my PR. I am a low mileage guy. 60 miles is good enough. I have to drink a strawberry shake the night before a race.

Page last modified: 12/27/2006