On the Road Again - Pt. 3 - Colorado

If you kept up with my last blog then you know that when I left Colorado Springs I wasn't sure when I would return. For some reason I really struggled last year with feeling that I still had a place in Colorado. This return trip couldn't have been more different. I had a great time especially catching up with people, some that I hadn't seen in years. I was actually driving into Colorado when I received a phone call from a coaching rival and friend, Jim Brady who offered me a chance to stay with him for the first few days that I was going to be in the Springs. We spent several days talking and catching up while still each going our own way at times. The first night there we went to a high school cross country meet and saw more coaching friends. It was a really uplifting experience.

Jim Brady and Larry Zaragoza

Ron Payton and Duane Roberson

The next morning Jim, Ron Payton and I met Brian and Kathy Sweeney at Western Omelette. It was cool bring together friends from the past to reconnect with some and introduce others. Both the day I got there and the second day I had some time to kill and of course I spent some of it visiting some of my favorite used book stores. Then I went to Bear Creek Park and hiked before meeting Luke for lunch and then Jim and I went to the UCCS cross country meet where we met up with Robert Spell and his daughter. Two meets two days in a row at Monument Valley Park brought back a flood of good memories.

The next morning I went to my third cross country meet in three days at the Widefield Invitational. I knew that some teams that I followed would be running and one of my former athletes might be there if her daughter was competing. It was another great experience. I saw a lot of coaching friends as well as some friends who were parents and meet officials. Not only was my athlete that I hoped to see there because her daughter ran for Widefield but another of my former athletes was there because her daughter ran for Sierra. It was so much fun catching up with them and listening to them talk about all their memories of running at Sierra.

Desiree & Sandy two of my former athletes who now have girls competing.

On Sunday Robert Spell and I had our first race of a two race weekend. We ran the Cheap 5K at the Flea Market. It was well supported and they had a nice pancake breakfast afterwards. Joe came out to watch and I ran into another coaching friend who was also racing, Gary Weston and then he and Joe and I had breakfast and again it was fun bring people from different parts of my life together.

The next day was one of the highlights of the time spent in Colorado Springs when we got together for our annual "Reunion Race". Robert, Joe, Walter, Gerald and I all ran races at the America Discovery Trail races. Even though we ran different distances it was a fun shared experience. When we were done we all eventually met up at North Monument Valley Park to picnic with Walter's and Robert's families. We've already scheduled our next "Reunion Race" for August 6th, 2017 in Castle Rock. Good friends and good times.

It was a really good trip to Colorado Springs this time catching up with so many old friends and spending so much time in the running world that I still love.