A race fit only for man and beast

DENVER - Donkeys don't like to do much of anything, let alone run a marathon. But they've been doing it in Colorado for years, and they'll be back at it this summer.

Pack burro racing has become an annual spectacle in a handful of old Colorado mining towns; there is actually a minicircuit of sorts. Racers and their fans pack Fairplay, Leadville and Buena Vista for the races that are cornerstone events for summer festivals.

Many come for the novelty, but the races aren't for the faint of heart.

Laden with old mining gear, donkeys hurry along steep mountain trails above 10,000 feet, their owners clutching a rope and trailing behind. Runners spend hours looking at the rear ends of their animals, which sometimes don't stop when their owner falls, launch into a gallop to chase the opposite sex or simply quit before crossing the finish line.

The summer's first race takes runners along 29 miles of steep four-wheel-drive roads to the 13,186-foot summit of Mosquito Pass above Fairplay, about 85 miles southwest of Denver.

Runners must keep their headstrong donkeys up to the task for several hours. Athletes can "push, pull, drag or carry" but never ride their animals. Veterinarians examine the animals before the race, and any donkey doping results in disqualification.

"It's a combination of wrestling, dancing and distance running," said Curtis Imrie, who has participated in the unusual sport for three decades, who now breeds burros for racing. "If you're doing it right, you're literally dancing with the donkey."

Last year's Fairplay race was won by Hal Walter and a burro named Spike, who completed the course in 5 hours, 39 minutes, 8 seconds and captured first prize of $1,000. Imrie, racing with a burro named Maasai, won the 15-mile short-course event.

The races originated more than 50 years ago as a way to honor the state's mining history and attract tourists to the central mountains of Colorado.