Gerald Romero (40, Colorado Springs) finished in 1:02 on a cool 57 degree morning at Saturday's 36th annual Garden of the Gods 10 Mile Run. That was good enough to take home the top-place finisher in the Men's Masters category and 21st overall.

"It's quite an honor to win in my first year at the Garden as a 40-year-old," Romero said. "I felt good. My training's coming along. I'm healthy. I've got no injuries. Last year at this time I was starting to have problems with my left quad above the knee."

Romero said he's racing every weekend and training during the week, preparing for The Ascent.

"You gotta get out there and use what you got," he said. "I throw in my recovery days during the weekend. You just treat it like a fine recipe and gear it to that next big race you've got coming up."

Louise Kriel (41, Colorado Springs) finished in 1:16 to take top place in the Women's Masters category and 128th overall. She's an 8-year veteran of the course who shaved seven minutes off her previous best time. She credits her excellent time to changing her training program and running hill repeats at 6 a.m. on Garden of the Gods' Ridge Road with the Sunrise Striders running group on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.

"None of these hills compare to Ridge Road," she said. Kriel said she now runs three days per week (2 doubles and a long run on Sunday), and supplements with cross training: swimming, biking, and rowing.

And although the strong winds Sunday morning bothered some runners out on the course, Kriel took it all in stride.

"I train in the wintertime when it's really windy and cold, so I'm used to running in the wind," she said.

Rochelle Persson (44, Colorado Springs) finished in 1:10, good enough to bump her out of the Masters category and into the top 5 Overall Female category.

"It was super windy," she said. "The headwind going uphill was so strong, I felt like I was standing still. So I didn't get the time I wanted; I ran two years ago with the same time."

Persson said she was running the Triple Crown and was shooting for first place overall in the three races.

"I might have a chance if I do well in The Ascent," she said.