Hundreds compete in Simi Valley races

Four hundred runners from around the world competed in the Bandit Trail Running Series at Simi Valley's Corriganville Park on Sunday.

Runners could choose from 50K, 30K, 15K and 6K races.

Encino resident Trey Barnes, 27, owner of Fleet Feet Sports, won the 50K in four hours, 26 minutes. He came in fourth last year.

"It was harder than last year," Barnes said. "It was warmer, and the course is pretty exposed without shade. I didn't take in enough fluid. I was cramping up the last five, so I had to slow down. I drank as much as I could, and it still wasn't enough."

Simon Cooper, 42, from Sierra Madre, won the male 6K in 33:41.

"It was a challenge because of that ginormous uphill at the start of the race," he said. "This was wonderful, though. The organization and staff here was fantastic."

The course is so demanding that five members of the Simi Valley Police Department used it as a training race for an upcoming Baker to Las Vegas relay run the department does in April.

"We all run certain legs of that, and some people run anywhere from six to 10 miles," said Jessica Neumann, 23. "Going up that Baker grade is tough, so this was great training  today."

Gerardo Barrios, owner and coach of Fortius Coaching, encourages his runners to participate in the competition, saying it is a great training ground. Eighteen of his runners signed up.

"This is the hardest trail race in the area, and most everyone on my team is a triathlete, so they are getting strength and power from climbing the hills," Barrios said. "It's also good for mental fortitude."

Newbury Park's Jennifer Todd, 36, had knee surgery two years ago and wasn't supposed to be able to run again, but she won the women's 15K in 1:23.

"The downhill is tough," Todd said. "I love the climbing, and this year was perfect weather. The vibe is so good here. It feels like family here."

The male 15K went to Tate Behning, 30, from Boulder, Colo., with a time of 2:29. He and his girlfriend planned a Presidents Day weekend vacation around the race.

"This is probably the most challenging course I've ever run," Behning said. "I've run some tough stuff, like on Pikes Peak in Colorado, but this was brutal. When you got to the end, you kept waiting for that last turn to come down, and when it does, it's so steep you can't get a lot of speed, so you're trying to hold on to the brakes as long as you can and not lose control, which is hard when you're tired. But it was a lot of fun, and the temperature couldn't have been better, and I got a great goody bag. Now it's time to hit the beach and ice the legs."

Lindsay Flacks, 25, of Calabasas, won the 30K with a time of 2:51.

"This was my style of running. I had a great time out there," she said "Any time there are hills and trails involved — I love it. That's what it's all about. I figured it was a fun day for a long run."