Mr. Goodyear’s Neighborhood - Bairgutsman Founder, Jan Cheney

The 40th edition of Crazy Bob’s BAIRGUTSMAN, the oldest mountain run in Utah, is scheduled for this Saturday, August 2nd in Fruit Heights at 6:00am.  The BAIRGUTSMAN has had an aura of badassdom for a long time with equal parts mystery and urban myth. Well, as fate would have it, the creator of the BAIRGUTSMAN waltzed into the loving hands of The Banyan Collective last Friday and offered the keys to a long and storied event first known as the Baer-Gutsman in 1974. 

Jan Cheney, a 1965 graduate of Davis High School and creator of the Beehive Track Club, Molestus Half-Marathon and the Garden of Eden 10 miler, also gave life to the Baer-Gutsman after gazing at the ‘Balls’ on top of Francis Peak during his commute to work every morning.  The Gutsman course was established after Jan and Howard Cheney (no relation) made a reconnaissance trip up Baer Canyon to the top of Francis Peak.  They had no water or provisions, luckily the nice folks working at the radar towers offered sandwiches and water.  Jan and Howard had such an epic adventure that day, they wanted to offer the same mountain experience to the world.

The Banyan Collective is excited to offer this special edition of Mr. Goodyear’s Neighborhood; we invite you listed to this 2-part interview with Jan Cheney as he unloads some authentic Utah ‘running’ history staring Chuck Smead, Rick Trujillo , Chick Hislop and Johnny Carson….whaaa?  That’s right…heeeeere’s Johnny.  Check it out, only on The Banyan Collective!