Three Age Group Records Fall at the 8th Annual Mile High Mile

BOULDER, CO — The 8th Annual Mile High Mile, presented by Sara Vaughn at Liv Sotheby’s Realty, delivered a night of record-breaking performances at Boulder High School on Friday, May 23. Among the hundreds of runners who took to the track, three athletes rewrote the Colorado record books — and two earned a $300 dining credit courtesy of Record Breaker Age Group Award Partner, The Flagstaff House.

Tracey Burnett shattered the Colorado women’s 70+ mile record, clocking 7:50.59 to surpass the previous mark of 8:14.3 set by Lynn Hermanson at the 2022 Mile High Mile — an improvement of more than 24 seconds. Burnett’s performance is now the fastest known mile on Colorado soil by a woman 70 or older.

Neil McDonagh proved he’s only getting faster, breaking his own Colorado men’s 40-49 record with a time of 4:23.09 — edging past the 4:23.6 he set at the Mile High Mile just last summer. McDonagh now holds the record for the second consecutive year at the very event where he first set it.

Gary Ostwald made history in the men’s 80+ category, running 6:45.49 to establish the first known Colorado soil record for men in his age group. With no previous mark on the books, Ostwald’s performance sets a new standard for what’s possible at the mile distance in Colorado.

All three record-breaking performances took place in professionally timed competitive heats and qualify as official Colorado age group records per the Colorado Masters Race Project and ColoradoTrackStats.com.

As the exclusive Record Breaker Age Group Award Partner, The Flagstaff House, Boulder’s premier fine dining destination, honored Tracey Burnett and Neil McDonagh each with a $300 dining credit for breaking existing Colorado 10-year age-group records. Located just two miles from Pearl Street with an award-winning wine list, exceptional cuisine, attentive service, and sweeping views of Boulder and the surrounding mountains, The Flagstaff House is a fitting celebration for athletes who run at a championship level. Gary Ostwald, who blazed an entirely new trail by establishing the first-ever Colorado 80+ mark, was recognized with a new pair of Hoka shoes.

Photos by Dave Albo Lane1photos.com

Updated Colorado Mile Age Group Records — Set May 23, 2026:

The Mile High Mile is produced by Boulder Road Runners and is a USATF-sanctioned event and a featured event of Bring Back the Mile. Full results are available at boulderroadrunners.org/mile-high-mile.