Posted by: Shauna Farnell
Marlin Smickley can’t remember how many times he’s competed in the GoPro Mountain Games. Staring down his 88th birthday next month, Smickley is an avid trail runner and the oldest competitor in the 2026 Mountain Games. He competed in Friday’s adidas Terrex Aprés 5K. Like a growing number of Mountain Games athletes, participation has become a family project.
“I’m going to follow him,” said Deanna Smickley, Marlin’s daughter, who joined her father for the first time in the 5K. “This is the biggest event of the year, and I thought it would be fun to do it together.”
Although this Mountain Games marks the debut of the Smickley family duo, Marlin had good friends along with him that he considers family and has made friends during the event.
“I’ve met people here over the years,” Marlin said. “One year I did it, I met a guy who had been in Vietnam. He had two artificial legs. He and I ran together. That was quite an experience.”
“He got stopped by about five people on the way over here,” Deanna said of her dad. “People remember him.”
“You see so many different groups of people doing all the activities – different ages, different levels. It really is a place for everyone,” said Molly Ansfield. “People that climb, mountain bike, run – they’re all different, but this is the common thing that pulls us all together.”
It’s a sentiment that resonates across generations of Mountain Games regulars. For Marlin, the draw isn’t just the racing; it’s the reunion.
“I always look forward to coming to the Games because of the hoopla,” Marlin said. “I know I’m going to see people here from last year or the year before.”
On the opposite end of the age spectrum, the Games’ child and GROM participants are growing by the year.
The Nature Valley Mountain Mud Run has become a four-year tradition for the Bricklin family.
“It’s an event that we can all do together,” said Madison Snow Bricklin, 10. “We don’t do it as a race, we all stay together. The obstacles are really fun.”
“The muddy part is my favorite,” added Sawyer Bricklin, 7. “My shoes almost got stuck.”
“It’s definitely great family bonding time,” said their mother, Heidi Bricklin. “We help each other out if any of us is having a hard time, if we lose a shoe or get stuck on an obstacle. It’s fun getting through it together.”
It was the first mud run for the DuFresne family, who is going all-in with multiple events this Mountain Games, including the Kids Mini Dash and Lucid Kids Bike Race.
“What I like about it is there’s a lot of chances for kids to have fun, but also show a bit of heart, because they have to hike and work for it,” said Haley DuFresne, who is also competing in the adidas TERREX 10K Spring Runoff. “They’ll get dirty and climb and love being with their mom. Then, you look around during the race and it’s so, so beautiful. It’s a blast to be in this type of environment and see your kids having so much fun. Once we did one lap we said, ‘let’s do another.’ We ended up doing three laps.”
“I wanted to do four!” chimed in Hudson DuFresne, 8.
Participating in races isn’t necessary for family bonding at the Mountain Games. With free music all day every day, plus slackline shows, dog competitions and races, and multi-sensory stimulation everywhere you look, some people simply come to Vail to be spectators.
“We love seeing all the dogs around,” said Renée Harding, who has come to the Mountain Games from Denver with her children, ages 14 and 9, every year for the last five years. “It’s honestly the most exciting scene of the summer. We just like to walk around all day, pet some dogs, watch slackline, climbing and sit in the shade to just people watch. I think it’s the coolest festival in Colorado.”
The spectacle continues all day Sunday with more dog events, giveaways, and competitions, including the adidas TERREX 20K Trail Run, which is going all the way up to Mid-Vail for the first time ever. Check the schedule so you don’t miss out.
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