I have certainly never considered myself a "runner". Only every running enough to keep fit, enjoy the beautiful trails we have around the westside of Colorado Springs, and keep up with the pack in triathlons. So it was something of an impulse buy, if you will, to sign up for the Triple Crown this year, and to apply to be accepted into the PikesPeakSports Triple Crown team...and well, suddenly, I'm in the spotlight! So...I'd guess I'd better get my butt in gear!

And then, out of nowhere, I found myself surrounded by these amazing people! Runners, all, and exhuberant, enthusiatic, encouraging, willing to lend a hand (or a foot, directly to my rear end) to help me get training! The last couple of months, beginning this journey towards a more serious running career has been amazing, getting to know runners and other folks crazy enough to call this a passion. It probably wasn't until this past Tuesday when I was running with the folks at the Garden of the Gods training run (if you haven't been, you should totally go...they start at 6am in the north parking lot every Tuesday and Thursday!) that I really felt that sense of comraderie that had been eluding me. Watching these folks, cold, sleepy, and grumpy transform into cheery, friendly, happy runners was amazing, not to mention how welcoming they were to me, the newbie. Although I was getting my butt kicked on some of the hills we did, and lagging towards to the back of the pack, they were completely unhesitant to cheer me on, wait for me, and encourage me to keep going. (Remind me not to run Section 16 the day before a 5-miler in the Garden!)

Later this week, as I was dragging my sore legs out for another run in Red Rock Canyon Open Space, I was treated to a rare opportunity to have the entire valley to myself, as it had just rained, and no one else was out. I ran up the canyon, through the mist and the mud, and found myself breathless (well, ok, then I caught my breath from running, then lost it again for the scenery) by the solitude, the absolute peace and serenity I found, being surrounded by only the trees, the mud, the mountains, and a few deer. I said to myself "THIS is why I run. This is why I drag my sore legs up the trail when I'd much rather sleep in. This is why I conned myself into signing up for this epic group of races." Of course, then I had to run the remaining 3 miles home and lost a little of that exhuberance...but quickly regained it when I woke up this morning and saw how amazing PIkes Peak looked with her fresh blanket of snow. Only a little over 3 months, and I'll be standing on top, having had nothing but my shoes to get me there, surrounded by this incredible group of comrades-at-arms, having struggled, bled, sweat, cursed, and strained through the same adversity. That's worth the sore legs.