by Karen Voss
The Colfax Marathon is set to run on May 18th with a new course and a new group from the AIR Foundation. Along with the new members of the AIR foundation running group are members who have stayed with the group for the second year. They have stayed because of what running has done for them in overcoming addiction. Here’s what a four members of the team had to say about their running & their readiness for the Colfax event:
“It doesn’t matter what they do to the course, I feel ready for it”, said Ranier. My husband and I met Ranier at the Denver Rescue Mission Legacy Dinner, a fundraiser for the mission. We happened to get seated at the same table and at one point the topic of running came up at our table of guests. I don’t remember the exact words but Ranier just looked at us and commented that running was not his thing and we wouldn’t be seeing him running anywhere or anytime. Like a lot of people, something about the running, running for himself because he can, because he can overcome whatever he needs to get to the finish, to be a part of something bigger than the self.
Taylor Sterner, son of Nick Sterner is set to run further than he has ever gone so far. He is running the half marathon and wants to go fast. Taylor is training and testing his will at distances close to 13 miles and distances beyond 13 miles in preparation for the Colfax Half. The Horsetooth Half Marathon went well for him he stated and at the time of this conversation, was the furthest he had gone so far. He was set to run 16 miles at a training run on the 20th.
Steve Scannapieco stated, “I’m ready for Colfax!”. Steve told a bit about himself and his journey to the Denver Rescue Mission and finally on the road to the Colfax Marathon with the AIR foundation. His story:
“I was wearing a long trench coat, long hair, tattoos, smoking, the whole bit. When I saw the video Nick shows (last year’s Colfax Marathon training and event) it got to me. It spoke to the athlete in me. I used to be an athlete. I was an exceptional soccer player as a freshman in high school, went right to the varsity team, University of Massachusetts was interested in me. I was scholarship potential.”
Steve’s soccer days didn’t last long. He told me he started to drink too much and was kicked off the soccer team by the end of that freshman year. Steve talked about how “that game”, drinking, went on for 20 years.
Since joining the DRM and the AIR team, Steve has taken on “a new game”. He has been sober since August of 2007. He stated, “The first two weeks of the running I was dying in pain. I am getting used to it now and can go up to 20 miles”. He originally signed up for the half marathon but has since changed to doing the full marathon. Steve talked about how “it was so cool to get Gatorade and power bars and stuff at races”. He talked about how much he has changed. He was “dying running the ‘zoo hill’ at City Park” and now “I am able to run the Horsetooth Half Marathon hills and the bleachers at Red Rocks”. Okay, are any of you thinking ‘zoo hill’? “Are there hills at City Park”? For Steve, there was a hill but I am betting he may not even notice it any more. Steve reports he likes the variety of runs and keeps it fun. He is ready for Colfax. Ready to run it for himself, for his family, a sister and mom in Denver and his father in Massachusetts who have all stayed with him supporting him all those years. As Steve stays focused on the Colfax Marathon, he is allowing his dreams to reach beyond to the 195 mile relay in August, the Denver Marathon in the fall and to an ultra marathon in 2009.
Harold is running the Colfax Half Marathon for the second time this year. His goal is familiar to most runners, “to beat my previous time”. He wants to not only beat his previous time but do so by a ½ hour. His long tern distance is to continue to train and condition himself to be able to complete the ½ marathon in 2 hours. Harold is using the Jeff Galloway program to help him get his goal. It was fun to hear Harold talk of the challenges so many or all of us face; to balance running, work, and keep injury away while increasing training and/or mileage.
The RMRR club supports the AIR Foundation with its mission in providing individuals from the Denver Rescue Mission another way to overcome addictions and regain their lives. Be sure to give an extra smile and word of encouragement to the AIR foundation team at the trophy series runs.