I’ve read two of fellow Mighty Marmots heartfelt blogs today and thought I’d jump in. Anna wrote about overcoming her fears and pushing herself toward new adventures. Michael, unfortunately, is dealing with personal loss from two people he cares about. It takes courage to discuss these issues publicly. Thanks to them for sharing! It’s a testament to the character of the Mighty Marmots, the local running community and the greater Colorado Springs community.

Everyone can connect with stories like these, whether runners or not. We all have hurdles to overcome in life and no one person is any more (or less) important than anyone else. It’s the everyday people who make the community a special place. Inspired by Tim Bergsten’s Mighty Marmots and other similar groups, we recently started Team MER at our store Mountain Equipment Recyclers. Check out the developing team at this link http://www.merecyclers.com/teammer.html. Our teammates are outdoor enthusiast from all walks of life. The common theme is they use the outdoors to overcome personal adversity. Most of these community members have no interest in winning races or competing at a high level. They simply attempt to overcome unique circumstances by immersing themselves in nature. Their stories are inspiring. Courageous people are all around us!

Here is a photo I took a few days ago running in Red Rock Canyon. It was a beautiful day with storm clouds over Pikes Peak. My personal challenges are in line with many of these participants and being a Mighty Marmot and working with Team MER has been therapeutic. The sun will shine when the storm passes...

Thanks to the wonderful people who share their stories and persevere! It’s an honor to be a part of it.