Runner of the Month: Peter Skiba & Family

What does your family love to do together? For some families, it’s playing board games or attending backyard barbecues. For the Skiba Family, its running! Peter Skiba is the patriarch of the family and the one who founded the familial running tradition.

Peter’s love of running blossomed at 11 years old when a playground supervisor introduced the neighborhood kids to a new game: the timed quarter mile. When the supervisor yelled “Go!”, it was just Peter, his pounding legs, and the ticking clock. There was no one else to complete with and Peter loved that.

Time went on and Peter got older but his love of running never left. He ran for his high school and college track and cross-country teams and though he was never the fastest on either team, he learned that he had stamina on the longer runs that his competitors and teammates did not. Unfortunately, life got in the way and after graduating college Peter put running on the back-burner while he married, worked, and raised his two sons, Doug, and Andy.

However, Peter’s love of running was always tickling the back of his mind and after an almost 15-year hiatus, he was back pounding the pavement. This time, he had two running buddies, his sons, who were spurned towards the finish line with promises of snacks and the chance to win a prize from a local sponsoring business. His youngest son once won a Schwinn bicycle in a raffle at a racing event!

Over the years, Peter, Doug, and Andy have run upwards of a hundred races together from 5ks to half marathons and even one marathon (it was Peter’s first and only marathon that he ran at the age of 72!).  They’ve run in Wisconsin, Colorado, Arizona, and Wyoming.

Now, running is a family affair that involves Peter, Doug, Andy, their wives Heidi and Jill, and Peter’s granddaughter Emily. Though they live in various parts of the country, they monitor each other’s running using apps to stay in touch and support everyone’s training efforts. Peter says “As an old guy my kids are looking out to keep me moving and that support is gratifying. We have a mutual support system that helps motivate and encourages one another. Running helps provide a family link keeping us in touch with one another.” Occasionally, they come together for a running event and Green Events is honored that the Spring & Fall Equinox races are usually that event.

Peter insists none of this would be possible without the support of his wife Renee, who wears many hats during training and race days. From coat check, photographer, water supplier, and so much more, Renee keeps everyone training and racing at their best.

Peter, Renee, Doug, Andy, Heidi, Jill, and Emily, Green Events is blown away by your commitment to your health and family. We are honored that we can be a part of your journey!

Fun Fact: Peter and Doug placed first in their age groups in this year’s Spring Equinox 4 Mile!

Volunteer of the Month: Ranna Bieschke

How far have you traveled to volunteer? Ranna Bieschka braved storms and mountainous roads on her 6-hour trip from Moab, Utah to Fort Collins, Colorado. She arrived several days before the event to help with all the pre-race day preparations. Green Events could not be more thankful! With 25 years’ experience as a race director, her time and advice were invaluable to the Spring Equinox Half Marathon and 4 Mile.

You would have been hard pressed to find Ranna during the Spring Equinox though, as she was consistently lending a helping hand to whoever needed it most, whether that be the compost station, the food station, course set up and tear down, and so much more! There are not enough words in the dictionary to express Green Events gratitude towards Ranna and her work ethic! The Spring Equinox Half Marathon and 4 Mile would not have been what it was without you, Ranna!

Fun Fact: Ranna was the race director for the Canyonlands Half Marathon and 3 other races in Moab for 20 years!

Ambassador of the Month: James Cotter

Have you ever hit the wall in a race and your legs felt like bricks or your feet threw a fit about moving even a baby-step forward? For half a mile you limp-walk towards the finish line until another runner cheers you on with a big smile on their face, saying “you can do this!” or “you got this!”.  Well, James Cotter is that cheerleader! He always has a smile, and he is always happy to see runners leaving it all out on the course!

As a runner, James has run every distance from the 5k to the marathon and will not be slowing down any time soon. As a Green Events Ambassador, James is either stuffing packets, working the packet pickup tent, running the race, and oftentimes all three! James, you are invaluable to Green Events and the running community!

Green Teammate of the Month: Chris Copenhaver

What is a race without a course? Thanks to Chris Copenhaver, we will never know! Chris arrives to every Green Events race three hours early and gets to work setting up the course. That means placing cones to create a visible safety barrier between runners and traffic, setting up aid stations, and setting the mile markers along the course. Then, once the last runner has crossed the finish line, he picks it all up.

Chris became involved with Green Events through the Harvest Farm Run Club and, after graduating from the program, has continued to introduce running and community to many guys on their own journey to sobriety. He leads the weekly farm group run and brings the guys out to all our races. Through running Chris found a purpose and desire to become a better person and live a healthy life.

When Chris isn’t working a Green Events race day, he’s running the trails around Fort Collins. Earlier this month, Chris ran the Run Through Time Marathon in Salida and finished at 3:36:06 snagging him an incredible 9^th place finish!

We could not be more impressed, proud, and thankful to have Chris as part of the Green Team!

You can read more about Chris’s work with the Harvest Farm program  HERE