I've been running the Pikes Peak Ascent and/or Pikes Peak Marathon every year since 2000.  While I will brag all day long about my accomplishments (or lack thereof), It is pretty clear that I would not have done what I have done without a little help.  

This blog is dedicated to the people who put up with me, challenge me, and help me. 

I'll start with my family.  My wife has put up with this mid-life crisis for 17 years now, and she has been my biggest fan.  Sometimes she kicks my ass out the door to run.  Sometimes she complains because I have another run to attend.  But she has always been gracious in allowing me to pursue the goals I set out to achieve.  My kids just deal with it.  Kat likes to run.  Marg would rather walk.  But I think they like the fact that I stay fit so we can ski together in the winter.  And we all love Pizza.!

...Do you need anybody?
I need somebody to run...

As for my friends, most of them are runners.  And whether they ran with me 15 years ago, or run with me today, many of these runners are staples in my running endeavors.  I'm sure to forget some people, but here are some pictures of the badasses that have made me a better runner.  On the left, Fred and Ed Baxter, and Shawn Erchinger. On the right, Roger Austin. These 4 in particular make me do the incline a lot.  There are a lot of other Incliners, but these ones get me out of bed early on Saturday mornings.

The Incline Club has been an integral part of my training for the past 14 years. I emailed Matt Carpenter after the Pikes Peak Ascent in 2003 and asked him how to prepare for the Pikes Peak Marathon.  He responded: "Join the Incline Club!"  I did.  Here are a few ICrs who have helped me become a better runner:

Two ICrs, John Garner and Dan Cockrell, have  been great training partners.  We don't run as much together as we once did.  Dan moved away a couple of years ago and John and I have had life hit us in the face like a wet dishrag.  But these two in particular made me run in places I had never been to before and we have had some great times together.  

Dan Cockrell

John Garner

More recently, I have come across Steve Griego. He started running with the Incline Club a couple of years ago, and now he's pushing me harder than ever on the Incline Club runs. Virtually every Sunday he is asking me what I'm going to do. Then he joins me to make me do it harder than I ever expected.  He's become quite a good mountain runner to boot.  

Photo by Roger Austin

Finally, Larry Miller, the man, the legend!  He's been on my ass since 2004 telling me my form sucks and I could be better if I would listen to some of his advice.  He organizes track workouts on Tuesday afternoons from April to August.  He's a wealth of information and a great runner.  Seems like every time I get to the top of Pikes Peak and he is there, he asks me what color my shoe laces are. I can't stand how hard his workouts are, and I appreciate the fact that he makes me do them. 

There are many other runners I enjoy spending time with. Too many to post here for sure. But these are the ones I spend the most time with.

If you're sitting on the fence and not sure if you should go for a run, join the Incline Club, or Pikes Peak Road Runners, or Jack Quinns, or show up at CRC at 6:00 PM almost any afternoon, or a whole lot of other clubs. I joined the Incline Club to become a better mountain runner. The bonus is the friendships that have lasted for years.  

Thank you Elizabeth, Margaret, Kathryn, John, Dan, Steve, Roger, Ed, Fred, Shawn, Matt and Larry. You've been an integral part of my running life, and I appreciate it.  I know I have tons of other running friends and I am so glad to have you in my life.  But blogs are supposed to be short, and this one is getting a little long and sappy.  

I run high with a little help from my friends...