“I can’t believe how HAPPY everyone is," said Kathy Pieper, youngest and first female to ever do the Pikes Peak Ascent. There’s no truer statement about this past weekend. The happiness pouring out of Manitou and Pikes Peak confirmed yet again why the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon weekend is my favorite of the year.

At 7am on Saturday, I felt like the Ascent had snuck…

7am, Manitou Springs City Hall. A scaffolding of banners overhead, beautiful sunny day. Crazy runners crowded onto the street, nervously looking up at the summit 13.32 miles away, trotting back and forth anxiously for quick, last minute trips to the port-a-potties. A goosebump-raising singing of America the Beautiful, a rush of adrenaline and at last: the gun- the moment I’ve waited 365 days for, the official beginning to the celebration of my favorite weekend all year long.

Four…

Tapering – it’s something some runners love, possibly a magical world filled with rainbows and chocolate and ice cream off in the distance dreamed of during long runs in the bulk of training, or something runners hate, loving every single step of their last long run before the dreaded period known as the ‘taper’.

While I know plenty of people that covet the taper, counting down the days towards its commencement, I am of the opposite party – I (hmm not quite hate, but let’s go with it)…