441 Manitou Ave, Suite 100
Manitou Springs, CO 80829 |
Fun Fact!
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Brandon StapanowichAccomplished trail runner and Community Manager of Tava Lodge - providing premiere trail running and outdoor recreation in the Pikes Peak region.  Brandon Stapanowich, upper right corner, with friends during a training run for the 2011 Pikes Peak Marathon. The summit looms in the background. Erosion-Resistant Memories There are moments in life that come without fanfare and leave without much recollection. Most of our days seem to slip quietly into memory—at least they do for me. My childhood is a blur of vague impressions. I remember adventuring in backyard creeks, but not the names of the streets nearby. I recall pickup basketball and roller hockey games, but the names of the neighbors I played with have long since faded. But then there are the memories that stick. One of mine is the first time I learned about the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon. It was 1997, and I was a teenager flipping through Runner’s World in western North Carolina—over a thousand miles away from America’s Mountain. A single photo stopped me. It showed a line of runners climbing the 16 Golden Stairs. The landscape was stark and surreal, with granite boulders and wind-bent determination. The runners looked tiny, yet powerful. Some smiled, others grimaced, but they all moved forward with purpose. The image didn’t explain why they did so—but it didn’t need to. I felt it. Since then, I’ve come to understand that mystery. Trail running is deeply personal. Most of us aren’t chasing podiums. We run to discover something inside ourselves. Those early morning miles, the juggling act between training and life, the quiet satisfaction of tired legs—it all prepares us for the climb of life. I imagined what it must feel like to stand at 14,000 feet, looking down at where you came from, knowing you earned every step, and breathing in a deep sense of fulfillment. I wanted that feeling. Years later, that same photograph inspired my move to Manitou Springs and eventually led me to the start line in 2011. During my own journey, I leaned heavily on the trail running community—formal and informal training groups, trail veterans sharing hard-won knowledge, and generous advice passed down over miles together.  Running, Training and Community
Trail running may seem solitary, but the community is anything but. And that spirit is what fuels the new Pikes Peak Marathon and Ascent Training Camp this August. From August 7–10, we’ll gather on the slopes of Pikes Peak to offer an immersive, all-inclusive weekend designed to prepare runners for the Ascent and Marathon in September. The camp is hosted by Tava Lodge—a dream-in-progress adventure lodge that one day hopes to become a permanent space for mountain community and connection. Here’s what campers can expect:
Whether you’re racing for the first time, looking to connect more deeply with the Pikes Peak community, or want to immerse yourself in world-class trail running, this weekend will be one to remember. Come run with us and make some erosion-resistant memories of your own! [Register now – spots are limited.] Comments are closed.
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Pikes Peak Marathon