Ballengee joins PQ race management team

DILLON - At the request of Primal Quest race organizers, Danelle Ballengee, a three-time PQ champion and two-time adventure racing world champion, has joined the race management team for next summer's expedition race, where she will assist in a variety of aspects during the 400-plus-mile competition.

The Dillon resident said she'll primarily be focusing on fine-tuning the course to make it a route that is challenging yet also realistic.

"I'll be pre-doing the course and seeing how it flows and seeing how long it's gonna take the teams," she said Saturday.

Ballengee, who is still recovering from a trail-running accident last December in which she shattered her pelvis and made national news by surviving an improbable, 52-hour stay in the Moab backcountry, said she "wasn't tempted at all" to compete in next summer's race.

"For one, there's no way I'd be ready, at least not enough to do it at a high level," she said, adding, "I could probably get through it."

"But to still be a part of it and not have to beat myself up so bad" appealed to her when organizers approached her to see if she'd be interested in joining the race management team.

"Danelle brings honor, hopefulness and determination to the Primal Quest team," said the posting on the race website introducing her as part of the group.



Devon O'Neil can be contacted at (970) 668-4633, or at doneil@summitdaily.com.