Bolder Boulder: Conner Mantz makes history at 43rd Bolder Boulder

May 29—With less than a mile to go in the men's pro race of the Bolder Boulder 10K on Monday, Alex Masai of Kenya made what appeared to be the move that would win the title.

At the time, Conner Mantz didn't appear to be a factor.

By the time Masai got to the entrance of Folsom Field, Mantz was not only a factor, but well on his way to stealing the title for himself.

"I didn't know Conner was anywhere," Masai said after the race. "When we entered the stadium, I heard the fans go loud and I knew there was something."

A 2022 graduate of BYU, Mantz surged to the finish to win the annual pro race at the 43rd Bolder Boulder in 29 minutes, 8.0 seconds. Masai was second, in 29:11.10. Both took home $8,000 in prize money, while Mantz became just the sixth United States citizen to win the men's pro race since 1984.

"The top three is always my goal in these type of races because you never know how fit anybody else is, but when you want to compete, you've got to make a big goal like that," Mantz said. "I really had to make that push at the end."

Even Mantz wasn't sure he had that push in him.

For much of the race, Masai and Teshome Mekonen, from Team USA 2, were in the front, with Tanzania's Joseph Panga lurking in third.

Going into the fifth mile, Mantz said, "I was struggling." At that point, his main thought was that he didn't want to get passed and fall into fifth place.

Mantz's fifth mile was the fastest mile of anyone in the race, however, at 4:34. Then came his final kick.

"I surged with about probably just over a half mile to go," he said.

He set his sights on Panga, aiming to slowly catch up to him, but then decided to sprint past Panga to avoid a countermove.

"So, I blasted by him and started catching up to the top two," Mantz said.

Going into the final steep hill before Folsom Field, Masai pulled away from Mekonen. Mantz saw that move and decided to go after Mekonen.

"I was like, 'OK maybe I can get second,' and I passed Teshome and I was like, 'Alex Masai is fading,'" Mantz said. "I know Alex from college days and I was like I'll make one move; this is my last move, and if I pass him, great. If he has something left, I'm gonna give it my all and I'll be happy with that."

Mantz sprinted past Masai shortly after they entered the stadium and Masai knew he wouldn't be able to get the lead back.

"I knew the hill was my last (surge)," said Masai, a 2021 graduate of Hofstra. "I'm not a good sprinter at all, I'm not a good 500-meter runner, so I knew (Mantz) is probably better than me in that sector. I tried to swing my arms, but it was not enough."

A national star since his days at Sky View High School in Smithfield, Utah, Mantz was a three-time Foot Locker All-American as a prep athlete. Then, he was a two-time NCAA champion in cross country (2020 and 2021). He had never competed in the Bolder Boulder, but it had been on his mind for years.

"After my sophomore year of (high school) cross country season, somebody sent me a letter that said, 'Hey congrats,' and it had all this information about the Bolder Boulder in it," Mantz said. "I didn't know anything about the Bolder Boulder at the time, but it was cool to learn about it and read about it. So, it's kind of been one I've had my eye on for a while."

Mantz doesn't know who sent him that letter, but after winning on Monday, he said, "It's something special. ... This is special."

It was even more special that his good friends and fellow BYU alums Jared Ward (10th, 30:13.33) and Clayton Young (11th, 30:15.70) competed in the pro race.

Ward, a 2016 Olympian who has competed in the pro race several times, had told Mantz that the stadium finish of the Bolder Boulder was the closest thing he's experienced to the Olympics. Mantz wasn't disappointed.

"It was pretty electric," Mantz said. "It took off all the pain you're feeling mid-race. You're like, 'Just race.'"

Despite finishing second, Masai enjoyed his first Bolder Boulder, as well. He helped Kenya win the International Team Challenge, with 13 points. The USA 2 team, led by Mekonen, was second, while the USA 1 team, comprising the three BYU alums, was third.

"Coming here ... all my teammates, once we had a chance to train together, we knew we had something special," Masai said. "And of course our main focus was for all of us to place high and at the same time get a (victory) for our group."

International Team Challenge

Team results — 1, Kenya 13 ($6,000 prize money); 2, USA 2 18 ($6,000); 3, USA 1 22 ($3,750); 4, Tanzania 33 ($1,500); 5, Mexico 36; 6, Great Britain 49.

Top 5 individuals — 1, Conner Mantz (USA 1), 29:08.0; 2, Alex Masai (Kenya), 29:11.10; 3, Teshome Mekonen (USA 2), 29:21.37; 4, Joseph Panga (Tanzania), 29:27.05; 5, Wesley Kiptoo (Kenya), 29:30.23.