A quick note: The blog title should be read to mean this is my first blog post as a Mighty Marmot, not to be confused as implying this is the best (#1) blog post ever. In fact, this is not just my first Marmot post, but my first blog post of any kind.

My wife, Sharon tells me you all have short attention spans and that blogs should generally be kept to 600 words or less. How can anything worthwhile be covered in less than 600 words? To give myself permission to blog longer, on an as-needed basis, yet give you the option to let your attention wander, I'll try to stick with fairly short topics separated with descriptive headers. You can pick and choose what you're interested in. If you suffer from an especially short attention span, feel free to simply read the sidebar where I'll be sharing the differences between Flatlanders and True Coloradoans.

Flatlanders vs Coloradoans
Just a quick note: the sidebar will be looking at extreme differences between the two. In reality, you may see a bit of yourself in both groups yet perhaps leaning a bit one direction or the other. Naturally your goal should be to aspire to do away with your Flatlander ways and embrace being a True Coloradoan!

Who am I?
I have no idea but if you read the bio page here on the site, you'll probably learn all you need, or care, to know. I have to admit that I learned a few things about myself by reading my bio!

I can say that I'm now a "Mighty Marmot"... not only that, but a Grey Muzzled Mighty Marmot! I'm the oldest member of the team this year and certainly the most surprised to be on a running team.

I have two theories about why I was selected for the team:

1. Tim Bergsten had a men's medium t-shirt lying around and I'm the only person he could think of who can wear a medium shirt.
2. This relatively young team needed someone old and slow...er I mean wise to round out the team.

Select the explanation you like best or both of them.

Training to Date
Prior to joining the Marmots, I had already signed up for the Pikes Peak Ascent and started training. I was flirting with the idea of running the Garden of the Gods 10-Mile Run after hearing Ron Ilgen's description of the race changes. As a Marmot I will be running those two races, as well as the Summer Roundup Trail Run 12K. In other words, the "Triple Crown of Running". I've been to the awards ceremony for the Triple Crown a number of times over the years but never imagined I'd actually take on the challenge of running it. I've been pretty content doing the Ascent or Marathon from time to time. The things I'll do for a free men's medium t-shirt!

I've been working on lengthening my long runs and moving up in altitude. That means a few 8-9 mile runs in Cheyenne Mountain State Park, a couple 10 mile runs on the Gold Camp Road, an 8.5 mile run at Mueller State Park, an 11.5 mile run around Rampart Reservoir and a run at Spruce Mountain. We're biding our time waiting for the snows to melt sufficiently to get on the Peak.

Garden of the Gods 10-Mile Run this Weekend
Other than racing on pavement, I'm looking forward to Garden of the Gods run this Sunday. I don't think I've run this race since the early 1980's when the start was on Garden of the Gods road, in front of the Hewlett-Packard plant. The new course (this year) with the entire race completely inside the Garden and without the normal run to and from the park, is very inviting. The finish and the associated RunFest at Rock Ledge Ranch should be fun. If you aren't racing, come down and enjoy the atmosphere and cheer for me! If your as lucky as Sharon is, I'll give you a big sweaty hug!.

Better yet, sign up for the Triple Crown of Running and join me for a summer you won't forget!

Summer Motto
While I usually like to use Norman Vaughan's motto: "Dream big and dare to fail." I've come up with a new motto that will probably fit this summer's activities more accurately: "Carpe Dolore." For those of you who may not have the two years of high school Latin that prepared me to use the Internet to translate between English and Latin, the motto means: "Seize the Pain." I expect that will sum up the summer quite nicely!