I enjoy sleep; I’m just not very good at it.  Lucky for me, my running buds either humor the early starts or find that it is their only window to get out of the house before the daily chaos ensues, so as a result our gaggle is typically moving before the sun comes up.  It never ceases to amaze me how easy it is to get anywhere from one to eight ++ others to join in the fun. …

Back in February when I started training for the Garden of the Gods 10 Mile Race coming up on June 12th, several runner friends suggested I participate in other races to prepare myself.  I took their advice and ran the St. Patrick's 5K in March.  Even though it was my first race and kind of tough, I felt exhilirated afterwards!  I was so proud of myself for finishing, I couldn't wait for the next one!  So I signed up for the Take 5 in the Garden, conquering 5 miles with my fellow running…

"When those women leave the gym, they are still burning a third more calories than they did in the workout -- and this goes on for hours!" he says. "Once you build muscle, muscle burns more calories [than fat], so you continue to burn more."

read more...

You can try a Circuit workout…

Somewhere during the 10 mile run today through the Garden I found myself. I really was lost for awhile. Have been waiting for the pieces to connect again. The elusive feelings that seemed to be just on the periphery, finally came through . Pure joy . Its been a bit of a struggle to let go, to give myself permission to move with the abandon that I used to have when I ran. My body had betrayed me. It could do it again. There has been a sense of fear and mistrust moving as an…

You've heard the call - the Spanish accented sports announcer screams, "GOOOOAAAALLLLLL!!!"

That's how I felt Saturday when I jogged into Memorial Park in Manitou Springs with Chris Bittinger looking at his watch saying, "Guys, Aaron just finished in 1:27!"

The High Altitude Running Team invited me along for a training run on the Garden of the Gods 10 Mile course. This was my first chance to see the whole course - start to finish. It was a chance to size up my goal of…

While running along in the Garden of the Gods on Saturday I noticed some Team in Training runners.

Thank you, and all the runners, bikers, and other athletes who donate their time,training ,and hard work to raising money for a variety of charities. I read somewhere on Runners World that millions of dollars are finding their way to a cross spectrum of charities due to the dedication and energy of you all.

Run strong.

     I've never won the lottery, come home with a Porsche from a mall giveaway, or even managed to avoid sidelining injuries in my running career. But LUCKY is really the only way to describe my situation. LUCKY, in so many respects. And while I'll admit to being bit superstitious with odd things like deoderant and chapstick, these rituals are ultimately inconsequential to my good fortune.

     Ok, bear with me for a moment while my emotional Irish heritage commandeers this blog. Grab…

Trail running involves ups and downs, rocks and roots, puddles and pebbles, all sorts of diverse terrain. Its part of the pleasure and part of the pain. Getting distracted and looking elswhere can occassionally have catastrophic consequences, or at least a kind of reminder that gravity works.

During all my medical stuff I managed to lose an eye.

The world/trail is now indeed flat.

This has led to some interesting runs. My dog has become a trail running guide. He…

So I have been busy all week with my kids last week of school, my oldest son "graduating" from elementary school moving up to middle school, soccer parties, graduation parties, family in town, seeing clients, training for my races, getting ready for three straight weekends of races coming up, and life's normal day to day responsibilities.  So I am pretty well exhausted and…

My eyes focused on the red glowing numbers floating beside my pillow:  7:03.  The time slowly registered in my brain in reference to what day it was. I shouted a few expletives, threw off the covers, and shot out of bed like a rocket.

"IT'S RACE DAY!"  I announced, barely disturbing my snoring husband.  "I was supposed to be at Lisa's at 6:45!"  I dressed…

He's not a regular guy.

Despite the testimony of many who know him well who say, "He's just a regular guy, who happens to have competed in the Olympics three times.

As we crunched gravel under our hundred dollar shoes, I tried not to say anything stupid that Justin Chaston would hear at least. Being a new runner, I'm still star struck…

Last night while jogging on a kitchen pass from my loving wife, I got to thinking...

In my view, there's a distinct difference between being someone who runs and being a RUNNER. As I've gotten connected with the Colorado Springs community of RUNNERS, I realize that I'm probably just someone who runs (at least at this point).

My observations are that RUNNERS:

1. Get up so early they pass people coming home from the bars on their way out to their morning…

OK, I started this on facebook but thought it would be fun to bring it over here to the Pikes Peak Sports community. I recently got a new bike and it needs a name.

it's a Carrera blue and white Trek Speed Concept 7.5...

So add your suggestions in the comment below and on Friday, May 27th, I'll pick a winner. The prize will be, well, the satisfaction you…

Yesterday I got to meet the other Pikes Peak Sports.us Triple Crown team members. I am in awe.

A fit, energetic, funny group of runners. They were kind enough to not question my team membership, and supportive of my goals.(after looking at my photo with the odd leg muscle popping up I'm surprised they weren't laughing!) .

They reminded me that every runner has their own story. The Garden of the Gods 10 mile race will see a diversity of histories, runnning abilities,…

As we get closer to the summer racing season (although the snow in mid-May makes one wonder) and I spend more time training on the trails around the Pikes Peak region I can not help but notice that a lot of trail runners could use some basic pointers on proper form.  Most injuries are a result of over training or improper training and are preventable, the obvious exception to this rule are a crash or contact related injury.  So whether you are training for a race or you are a fitness…

     So last Saturday I got in a 20ish mile trail run. To leave it at that, however, would be a great disservice to the monumental training day that it was.

     At dawn I met 12 or so CRUD runners at the Waldo Canyon trail head. The instructions were to get some altitude training by heading up Long's Ranch Rd, then Bob's, then Barr and the rest was to be determined. While the weekend before was my recovery weekend, a large number of the CRUDers ran the Collegiate Peaks 50 mile-…

By Jen Shotwell

PikesPeakSports.us Triple Crown Runners

Lacing up my favorite road running shoes on a cool Saturday morning and head west at an easy jog about five blocks to Monument Valley…