Reno's Miguel Tibaduiza finally achieved one of his major goals at the Silver State Marathon last August.
By running to victory in the event's half-marathon - he ran 1 hour, 14 minutes, 17 seconds over the 13.1-mile route through Washoe Valley - Tibaduiza completed his Silver State "Triple Crown." That is, he has won the marathon, half marathon and the 10K run.
"I wanted to win them all," Tibaduiza said with a chuckle. "I figure I can sit and relax."
Deservedly so. Tibaduiza, 43, has been dominant at Silver State and around Northern Nevada over the past three decades. He admits to slowing down a bit these days - partly a concession to age - but he will still be a runner to reckon with when the Silver State 10K field lines up in front of Bower's Mansion State Park at 7:10 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 27.
"I'm doing fine, I'm just not running as much," Tibaduiza said. "I'm running somewhere between 30 to 40 miles a week, mostly distance now. Maybe, I can 34 (minutes). I can almost bet I'll be in the top five, but I don't even think about winning anymore."
A time of 34 minutes would have easily won last year - Carson City's Erick Studenicka ran 35:11 to edge out University of Nevada women's cross country coach Kay Gooch in the Silver State 10K - and is a time nearly any 10K runner dreams of attaining, especially given the 5,100-foot altitude.
Not to Tibaduiza, a former standout at Nevada, whose best for the 6.2-mile distance is 28 minutes, 24 seconds. He is also a former qualifier for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, with a best of 2:13 in Las Vegas in 1987.
These days, his primary running focus is on staying healthy and maintaining his weight. That and maybe staying in good enough shape to be able to run with the McQueen High School cross country team he coaches (practice officially begins on Monday).
"You don't get any younger," said Tibaduiza, who has won the Silver State Marathon title twice. "You want to put in good quality workouts, but it's hard. You don't have the same speed, and the recovery time is a lot longer. You have to adjust the workouts to go with the aging process."
Win or lose, Tibaduiza says he always looks forward to running Silver State again.
"I sure do," Tibaduiza said enthusiastically. "I like the course. It's close to Reno, it's pretty, I like the hills and trees, I like the people and I like barbecue."
Notes: Volunteers are still a major need. If you are interested in helping out with the race, call 849-0419 ... Registration for the Silver State Marathon events (marathon, half-marathon, 10K run and 10K walk will remain open through Aug. 26. Signups will not be accepted on race day ... The event is presented by the Silver State Striders & Walking Club and sponsored by the Nevada Appeal. The number/packet pickup will be held Aug. 25 from noon until 7 p.m. at the Nevada Appeal office in Carson City and Aug. 26 from noon until 7 p.m. at the Peppermill Hotel Casino in Reno ... For more information, call 849-0419 or visit the event's website at www.silverstatemarathon.com. Online registration is also being taken at www.ActiveUSA.com.