Photo Courtesy Matt Cavanaugh
Ltc. Matt Cavanuagh. This photo was taken during a race a few weeks after he completed in the Pikes Peak Marathon - an event he says changed his life forever.
Photo Courtesy Matt Cavanaugh
Matt Cavanaugh.
Our 'My Mountain' series continues as we highlight people's personal connections to Pikes Peak. Today, we hear from Lieutenant Colonel Matt Cavanaugh. He's stationed at Peterson Air Force Base and reached out to share his perspective of America's Mountain as well as a bit of history.
Pikes Peak's our North Star.
"...if I can run this thing, I can get past anything."
It's always there. The light on top even looks like a star.
We use it to find our way when we get lost.
And it put my life back on track.
Twelve years ago, after brutal personal failures — an important relationship and dropping out of law school— I had a quarter-life crisis.
So I ran the Pikes Peak Marathon. The way out of my life's ditch was to climb up. Toward the finish, this "lightning bolt" hit me. I cried. It was this insight — like, "if I can run this thing, I can get past anything."
It was a turning point. I was down. I came back up.
Later, my family and I moved to Manitou, a mile from the mountain.
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