The 12-time winner of the Pikes Peak Marathon, Matt Carpenter was inducted into the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame on Tuesday at the Colorado Springs World Arena.
Carpenter was training in Vail in 1987 when he learned about the Pikes Peak Marathon and Ascent. Like many runners, he said his first attempt at Pikes Peak was a humbling experience.
"I thought it sounded interesting and I was kind of ignorant at the time," Carpenter said. "So I came down and looked up at the mountain and said, 'I am Pikes Peak.' And I got my butt kicked really bad that first race. In fact I was riding down the mountain with my friend, and I said, 'Harold, you need to pull the car over.' So I'm on the side of the road puking up my grapes and bananas, and he says, 'yeah, you are Pikes Peak."
Carpenter was inducted along with five-time Olympic gold medalist speed skater Bonnie Blair, former Colorado Springs Sky Sox great Luis Medina, former Colorado College and University of Wisconsin hockey coach Jeff Sauer, former Wasson High School football coach Dick Westbay, the late Nick Sanborn, five time winner of the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, and the 1986-87 state champion Rampart High School boys basketball team.