Working 9 to 5 is so 1980. Full health coverage is an extinct species of benefit that went the way of the phone booth. Well, that’s what we thought. YS went searching for companies that break the modern mold, and these eight prove there are no limits to the perks, benefits and respect a company can give its employees.

Insight Designs

Beth Krodel and Nico Toutenhoofd were in search of the holy grail: the 40-hour work week.

The two former journalists—Krodel was a reporter and Toutenhoofd a photographer—were sick of salaried jobs at newspapers, where they’d work 50, 60, 70 hours a week for the same amount of pay. So in 1999, they opened their own web development and design firm. Now, Insight Designs works with Crocs, eTown and other major players. And all 13 of its employees work a 40-hour work week (or close to it).

“One reason my business partner (Toutenhoofd) and I went into business was that we wanted to create a company that allowed us to have work-life balance,” Krodel says. “…People don’t work 50 hours a week here. Or 45 hours a week. There are exceptions. …But we strive not to have anyone work more than 40 hours.”

One of the company’s guiding principles is to offer a work-life balance to all employees, which translates into flexible scheduling. Ellie Childs works four nine-hour days and works a half-day on Fridays. Carlos Real comes into work early a couple of days a week, so he can leave earlier to coach soccer.

“I’ve been here 7 years,” Childs says. “I can’t even remember the last time I worked more than 40 hours a week. And if you do that, the next week you can come in later.”

All Insight employees are paid hourly as well, so if they do work over time, they are compensated.

On top of flexibility, employees receive a $40-per-month health club membership reimbursement and tuition reimbursement up to $500 per semester up to three semesters a year for classes and ongoing education.

Employees can receive two bonuses a year. The end-of-the-year bonus is based on total company performance. The other is based on achieving what the company calls AABs: above and beyonds, which are annual goals that require staffers to work outside of their day to day. That may mean taking classes or setting up events or writing blogs for the website. They earn a $1,000 bonus for every AAB they achieve, up to five a year.

The office vibe is also conducive to productivity: It’s quiet and laid back with great views of the Flatirons and the smell of waffle cones wafting through the air (Ben & Jerry’s is just steps away from its Pearl Street location).

“What do I like best? It’s the whole thing. It’s the good feeling you get when you walk in,” Real says. “…My weekends are so busy, so when I come into work on Mondays, it feels like a relaxing thing.”

That’s the goal, Krodel says.

“It’s important for people to like what they do and like where they work,” she says. “Working 40 hours a week, vacation time and health club reimbursements make people happier. When you have happy, healthy staff, you will have healthy outcomes. It’s in the best interest for us as bosses.”

The bottom line: 100 percent medical, two to five weeks vacation time plus 10 sick days that they will buy back if you don’t use them, health club reimbursement, annual retreat and parties, 40-hour work week, $500 per/semester tuition reimbursement, wholesale/pro deals, flex time. Number of employees: 13.

This company is now hiring! Check out Insight Designs’ website to see its opening for a PHP programmer.

Natural Habitat Adventures

The coolest thing about working for Natural Habitat Adventures, the Boulder-based nature travel company, is not necessarily the dog-friendly office, the stellar benefits, the on-site gym or the paid-time off for new moms and dads.

It has to be the travel perks.

“It’s more than a job,” says general manager Rick Guthke. “It’s a life pursuit.”

Field employees are often tasked with taking adventure-seekers and nature-lovers to the far reaches of the globe, coming face to face with gorillas in the mist or polar bears perched in the frozen tundra. The company also offers numerous travel incentives for employees, including a two-week site inspection each year (“With a handsome travel budget that covers nearly all expenses,” Guthke says).

The company is a leader in the nature travel and ecotourism industry and has focused on connecting people with the planet’s venerated natural spots. The office environment is “casual but hardworking” Guthke says. It’s dog friendly and there is no dress code. It’s a light-hearted space where the dedicated staff stay diligent. It also includes a state-of the-art health center on site that employees can use any time for free, including yoga and Pilates classes. The fitness center has a professional trainer on hand for small group training sessions.

Natural Habitat Adventures has a subsidized organic cafeteria and provides company ski passes, which employees can sign up for and use at anytime—“even on heavy snow days during the week if their work is covered.”

And the company owns a boat at Boulder Reservoir for the company-organized Summerfest; Winterfest entails taking a chartered bus up to the mountains for all-day skiing, with dinner out and bar-hopping on the drive home.

The bottom line: great benefits, three weeks vacation plus two-week, all-expenses-paid site inspection, in-house gym, organic cafeteria, ski passes, Summerfest and Winterfest, 120-hours a year of professional development. Number of employees: About 36. Check out Natural Habitat’s website!

Training Peaks

Imagine a world without hunger, where nobody misses a workout, dog walk or goes without gear.

At Training Peaks not only do employees have access to organic, fresh produce, a stocked kitchen and freezer, a full gym with showers, endurance training software, flexible scheduling and bike storage, the company also tosses them $600 a year for “health tools” of their choice.

“The company believes in investing in its people,” said communications manager Tia Mattson. “If we have the right talent pool and the right culture, then we have a long-term employee.”

To keep them healthy long-term, Training Peaks pays medical premiums and funds a $2,400 health savings account for each employee annually. And, of course, allows dog therapy in-office.

Training Peaks pays coaches, hosts visits by world-class athletes and helps employees obtain coaching certifications, attend conferences and expand their professional education. Then they launch a monthly software update and gorge on barbecue (which could be why they keep the dress code so casual and the work-out load heavy).

The bottom line: 100 percent medical, company funded HSA contribution at $2,400 per employee, 401k, flex time, generous PTO (three weeks), free organic food and group exercise all day with a side of work…for people who workout and eat well all day. Number of employees: 29

This company is now hiring! Check out Training Peaks’ website!

Imulus

When the three founders of Imulus, a web-development agency based in Boulder, started their company, they did not want to create a business that was susceptible to the economy. So, over the last nine years, they’ve built a “war chest of funds for a rainy day,” says co-founder and client services director George Morris. That has allowed Imulus to pick and choose the projects it wants and the clients it likes. And that trickles down to the employees, who then have the opportunity to work on fun, interesting, diverse projects.

“Basically, they don’t have to work on projects that suck,” Morris says with a chuckle. “If we were cash strapped, we would go after projects that are not ideal. So then, the team wouldn’t be enthusiastic. Our guys are doing a quality job, and they don’t have to sacrifice their standards.”

Of course, the work is just one perk here. Employees are treated as adults at Imulus. They are given respect as soon as they walk in the door, and they are offered support to make sure they succeed at the company.

“We want an environment that encourages your best work. We want to have a workplace where employees feel challenged,” Morris said. “We are a team. If we do things together as a team, we are not a bunch of individuals trying to get a job done.”

That means Xbox in the conference room, beer in the fridge, free Netflix and fencing uniforms and swords for the occasional duel (we are not joking). The company provides breakfast on Mondays and lunch on Fridays and often takes staffers out for a little fun: to  batting cages or even go-cart racing.

“We once used a printer as a piñata and played the music from Office Space in the background,” Morris said. “Recently, we took the whole office out to Dacono and rode go-carts around. We like to break up the routine.”

The bottom line: 100 percent medical paid, one month of vacation time plus two weeks of sick leave, Eco Pass, great leadership, free Netflix and beer, workshops and conferences on a regular basis, breakfast on Mondays and lunch every Fridays. Number of employees: 13

This company is now hiring! Check out Imulus’ website to see its opening for a front-end web developer.

Edward Jones

Just because a company is a ginormous national brand does not mean it’s inaccessible. Edward Jones has garnered props for being a killer employer from numerous organizations and publications over the years, and it’s because the company puts a strong focus on resources and autonomy.

“What it comes down to is that I own my own office. I have independence but have the support of a major firm,” says Bill DeWandeler, financial adviser at his Boulder office

The company is also employee-owned—and not publicly traded. There are just two employees in DeWandeler’s office, so it feels like a “mom and pop” shop, not a faceless megacorp.

“It doesn’t feel like a corporation,” he says. “The real value comes for the client. It’s not a call center. They call and they talk to one of us.”

The bottom line: Full medical with optional dental and vision plans, 401k, profit sharing and quarterly bonuses, community involvement and volunteerism, comprehensive web-based training program, flexible scheduling hours. Number of employees: 39,000 nationally. Check out Edward Jones’ website!

Trada

Sprawled out in the office-less expanse of the old Daily Camera building, Trada encourages collaboration, honesty and, most importantly, employees who take what Trada dishes out.

Trada knows micromanaging went out in the ’90s, and treats its employees like adults in scheduling, vacation and finding that perfect work/life balance by not limiting time off or guilting employees who take it.

“(Days off) shouldn’t be something where they’re nickel and dimed on the amount of time they can take off,” said Elaine Ellis, social media and marketing manager.

Employees pay $1 a month for a membership to One Boulder Fitness, can buy into the company’s equity program and enjoy full health and dental coverage for themselves and their dependents. They participate team build at events such as the Pike’s Peak marathon and on company sports teams. Dogs come to work, and sometimes work happens at home.

“It’s very counterproductive to have an employees work hard and not give them flexibility when they need it,” she said. “Not having a micromanaging culture requires hiring people that take pride in their work.

The bottom line: Butts in seats matter far less than butts that get work done. This company encourages employees to take advantage of every available benefit. Number of employees: 85.

This company is now hiring! Check out its website!

The post Yellow Scene’s Top Companies to Work For appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Today, Erie is known for its sprawling neighborhoods, luxe softball fields and bustling community center. But with time, the bedroom community east of Boulder could one day be known for its population of cyclists, pedal-pushers and racers. “Many Boulderites will go their whole lives never visiting Erie,” said Doug Emerson, owner of Boulder’s famed University Bikes and one of the developers of the yet-to-be-built Boulder Valley Velodrome. “Now, you are going to Erie.”

Emerson and Frank Banta, a loyal cyclist and owner of Frank Banta Construction, cultivated the concept of building a high-caliber velodrome in the county nearly six years ago. They formed Boneshaker LLC, and in 2006, Boneshaker purchased a 4-acre parcel of land off of County Line Road in Erie. In spring, the Erie Town Board gave unanimous approval to their project: a 250-meter outdoor velodrome with a 42-degree angle at the curves and 11-degree angle on the straight-aways. Peter Junek, who has designed and built velodromes around the world, will design the Boulder Valley Velodrome. They will break ground when they’ve secured 100 founding members.

The project will be the third velodrome in the state; joining the ranks of the smaller indoor velodrome at Boulder Indoor Cycling and a 333-meter track at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. While Boulder County has long been known for its great cycling roads and culture, this will take that reputation into another stratosphere.

“It’s like building the first hockey rink in Montreal or the first golf course in Florida,” Emerson said. “We can’t even predict how big it will be. But we are expecting it will attract thousands from Fort Collins, Boulder, Denver, Broomfield, all over the region.”

In time, they want to see world records set at the facility. They want to see Olympic athletes who train and live in Erie. And simultaneously, they want to create a velodrome that welcomes racers and riders, pros and beginners alike. The velodrome will offer 10 clubs of about 30 people each with classes and lessons for beginners and kids.

“You expect to have elite cyclists out there,” Banta said. “But you really want every man and woman out there. You want to have 10 to 30 soccer moms riding.”

The business began with an “if you build it, they will come” philosophy. It’s their field of dreams. Banta and Emerson said they want a velodrome in Boulder County for their own personal enjoyment. If and when others come, it’ll just be icing on the cake.

But, surely, others will come.

“We didn’t know how many cyclists live in Erie proper,” Emerson said. “And there may be enough cyclists in Erie to keep us packed. But we know people will come from all over.”

In their words:

On the success: “We hope to make Erie to cyclists what Steamboat Springs is to ski jumpers. Steamboat has the facility, and it attracts top athletes. It would not be unreasonable to see—in two Olympics from now—athletes from Erie,” Emerson said.

“It’ll make you stronger, faster, better at pedaling. It gives you better form. It’ll improve every aspect of cycling,” Banta said of riding a velodrome. “It’s 10-times more effective than a spinning class,” Emerson added.

“Half the people who try it, before they start, say, ‘I can’t do it.’ And after they try it, they say, ‘I can’t wait to do this again,” Emerson said.

On the velodrome: “It’s thrilling. It’s fast. It’s addictive. And you get better every time. It’s a skill, and there is a learning curve. There is a tremendous aerobic element to it. You can’t just mosey. You’ve got to ride,” Banta said. “There is an X Games factor to it,” Emerson added. “But what’s important, in a velodrome you can’t get hit by a car.”

The post Doug Emerson and Frank Banta appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

1. Boulder Running Company’s Memorial Weekend Sale
is an awesome score the same weekend as the Bolder Boulder, boasting 75 to 80 percent off retail on discontinued clothing, apparel and footwear with a good spread of shoe sizes, giveaways with purchases and freebies from vendors. Call 303.786.9255 or visitboulderrunningcompany.com for more info.

2. GoLite’s Warehouse Sale
generally occurs in May and includes last season’s discounted gear as well as apparel. Call 303.546.6000 for more info or visit golite.com/salesevents/ for updated listings.

3. REI’s Anniversary Sale
every May offers the best deals on just about any outdoor gear, but members get even better deals, plus awesome discounts, at the biannual Members Garage Sales. Boulder’s next garage sale is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 22. Call 303.583.9970 or visit rei.com/outlet all year long for great gear deals.

4. Eldora Mountain Ski Club/Eldora Mountain Bike Adventures Fundraiser
La Sportiva, SmartWool, Billabong, Kombi and more sell discontinued, sample, slightly flawed and overstock gear and apparel Sept. 16 from 3pm to 7pm and Sept. 17 from 9am to 5pm at 3850 Frontier Ave. at Pearl Street and Foothills Avenue in Boulder.

5. Camp USA/Scarpa’s Warehouse Sale
should fall in September this year, representatives said. This awesome dual sale includes samples, gear with cosmetic blemishes, discontinued and overstock gear. Call 303.465.9429 or 303.998.2895 for more info.

6. Mike’s Camera Tent Sale
Mother’s Day weekend rocks awesome discounts on lenses and accessories with smaller discounts on bodies. Mike’s Camera Expo includes sales, informational stuff for customers, deals on cameras and accessories and happens around Thanksgiving, but it’s not as stellar as the tent sale. Call 303.443.1715 for product information.

7. Dick’s Sporting Goods’ biannual clearance sales
are the best time to shop Dick’s. Every January after New Year’s and June after Father’s Day, take 25 to 50 percent off of the lowest ticketed price. The summer sale is usually store-wide and includes footwear, apparel, golf, cycling, fishing, camping and team-sport paraphernalia, while the winter sale is primarily apparel. Apparel sales will dip as low as 50 percent off, but gear typically goes at 25 percent off. Locations in Broomfield, Longmont and Thornton.

8. Prana’s biannual sales
usually hit at the beginning of August and February and promise 40 percent off of everything in the store from apparel to headbands to chalk bags to yoga mats. Call 303.449.2199 for exact dates.

9. Fresh Produce’s Warehouse Sale
boasts nothing priced for more than $15, with kids clothing for as little as $5. Save up to 80 percent off retail, representatives promise, with new prints and colors each year, and an evolved line this year that promises more fashion-forward dresses as well as tried-and-true essentials. The sale moves every year, usually occurs on Memorial Day weekend, but sometimes lands a weekend before or after. Call 303.444.7573 or follow Fresh Produce on Facebook at facebook.com/FreshProduceClothing for the next location.

10. Crocs Warehouse Sale
at the Twin Peaks Mall in Longmont typically occurs in early to mid-December. Prices start at $5. Check Crocs’ blog for exact dates company.crocs.com/blogs/crocs/ or call 303.848.7000 for more information.

The post 10 Gear and Apparel Picks appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Photo by James Burrus

Getting around on two wheels in Boulder County keeps getting progressively easier, safer and more convenient as more roads get the “bike friendly” treatment. June being Bike Month in Colorado—and Bike To Work Day being the fourth Wednesday in the month—it’s worth noting the serious improvements to county roads that are used by fitness and commuter cyclists alike (like yours truly).

Probably one of the most hellish stretches for a cyclist in Boulder County is Valmont Road between 75th and 95th streets. It’s motley clumps of asphalt patches, complete lack of shoulders and not one but two sharp S-curves make navigating that stretch an exercise in survival. Contrast that with Valmont Road to the west of 75th Street, and the difference is stark.

Tim Swope, the county’s capital projects coordinator, said the stretch of Valmont will get the Full Shoulder Treatment—11-foot driving lanes and 5-foot shoulders—the whole way through. After some drainage issues are solved and culverts are replaced, reconstruction will begin in August and last through November. Other projects either nearing completion or set to begin this summer, Swope said, include:

Lee Hill Road from 4th Street in Boulder (just west of Broadway) to Olde Stage Road. That stretch is getting drainage issues solved, a wider roadway and 5-foot climbing lanes. That section of the popular cycling loop that includes the lung-busting climb up Olde Stage Road and 50 mph descent to Buckingham Park and out Lefthand Canyon Drive to U.S. 36 has been in need of shoulders since I commuted on that stretch daily beginning in 1987.

Boulder County has just begun adding 5-foot shoulders to Cherryvale Road between Arapahoe and Baseline roads; a project that should be done by the end of summer.

Completing a three-mile-long soft surface trail connection from 83rd to 95th Street near Niwot Road.

Engineering work and preparations will be finished this year in preparation for rebuilding Neva and Niwot roads from U.S. 36 east to 63rd Street. This includes side shoulders, too.
Other ongoing projects include working with the Colorado Department of Transportation on getting similar shoulders installed on Colorado 93 south out of Boulder. That stretch of highway is one of the few routes south to Golden, and while not a favorite with cyclists because of the precarious lack of shoulders, highway speeds and big trucks that use it, many riders still flirt with death and give it a ride.

But probably the most glaring place in need of shoulders is East County Line Road that forms the border with Weld and Boulder counties. The road offers a straight shot from Broomfield to Larimer County. Apart from a few sections widened for developments in Erie, the road is mostly a shoulder-less speedway. Boulder County hopes to get started on improving the Longmont to Erie section in the next year or two, according to Swope.

It’s worth pointing out here that all of these improvements are key to making the increasingly traveled road of Boulder County safer, both for motorists and bicyclists. And while progress may seem slow, it would be downright glacial without the .1 percent tax (a penny on a $10 purchase) that was passed by voters in 2001 and extended in 2007 to sunset in 2024. It generates about $3.5 million a year, about 15 percent of which goes toward regional trails and the rest is spent on road and transit improvements.

The success of Boulder County’s transportation tax is a great example of government being good stewards and improving our lives by using taxes. Next year, RTD will ask for a .4 percent tax (four pennies on a $10 purchase) to put some zoom in FasTracks and get that worthy project done faster. It’s money well spent and we should do much more because government can and does do good with our taxes.

The post Road Warriors appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Comfort and steeze are what riding a bike should be about. The idea that riding a bicycle requires being hunched over at the waist so you have to crane your neck to see where you’re going and placing much of your weight on your hands and shoulders is crazy.

For the small minority who are competitive racers (either on mountain or road bikes), the tuck position may be just fine. But for most of the rest of us, getting on a bicycle shouldn’t mean being uncomfortable.

Also, we aren’t going to warn you about buying bikes from discount department stores: Just don’t do it. Having your bike assembled by someone who just builds bikes and knows all about them is invaluable. Your local, independent bike store will have many to choose from and can help you trick it out with cool accessories.

What follows are our Yellow Scene bicycle picks, from cheap to pricey. These are bikes you’ll actually enjoy and look good riding and they’re also functional. You don’t need a full suspension rig or have to balance your butt on a black leather potato chip. Grab a helmet and let’s go!

Under $100

Yes, they do exist (at Walmart, mostly), but you’ll spend at least twice that much fixing the cheap parts that break. Better to find something used on Craigslist for a hundred bucks.

Under $350

Now we’re talkin’! The Trek Cruiser Classic (for men and women) is just that: a basic one-speed with fat tires, comfy seat, coaster brake, sweeping handlebars and beefy steel frame. It comes in matte black, red and green/cream. These babies are just begging to be accessorized with baskets, bells, lights and mirrors. They’re comfortable to ride, virtually maintenance free and durable. But best of all, you get to ride upright so you can easily see traffic and avoid the pain in the neck. Check them out at Bicycle Village in Westminster.

Under $500

Moving up just a couple hundred bucks adds all sorts of goodies to the classic cruiser. The Electra Townie sports a suspension fork, hand brakes, posh seat, Shimano trigger shifters and a slightly recumbent riding position that lets you keep full leg extension and easily put your feet down when you’re at a stop. If hills are an issue, or you just can’t get enough top-end speed with a single speed cruiser, this is the ride for you. And women, they even have a dandy step-through model. Available at Derby Bicycles in Thornton.

Commuter (under $1,000)

If you’re serious about riding to work and are putting in more than 10 miles each way, the Novara Fusion is the bomb. It’s lightweight aluminum frame cuts the weight, hand brakes have a built-in bell, the front Alfine Dynamo hub powers the headlight (which is always on while moving) and can be switched to stare-at-the-sun bright for nighttime riding. Puncture resistant tires, disk brakes, kickstand and a rear rack ready for panniers or bags for carrying groceries or clothes. Check it out at REI.

Road (Sky’s the limit)

If you put serious miles on a bike and do laps on the Peak to Peak highway from your home in Broomfield to train for next year’s Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, you want a Specialized Roubaix Expert. The composit frame is feather light but responsive. The stock components are top of the line and the seat is a gel number to which you’ll never give a second thought. The forgiving 72-degree head angle and long chainstays help smooth out that rough chip-sealed road chatter. See this work of art at Louisville Cyclery.

The post Keep on Ridin’ appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Photo by Joe Hodgson

One Man’s Leg is a memoir of Boulder County resident Paul Martin’s tragic misfortune followed by several superhuman victories: During a 1992 car accident, one of Martin’s legs was irreparably injured and doctors were forced to amputate just below the knee. Just three years later—like a force of nature—Martin completed the New York Marathon.

Today, he holds “the world-record in the Ironman for one-legged guys,” as he puts it, and he’s won both silver and bronze as a member of the U.S. Paralympic Cycling Team. He recently completed his first ultra-marathon, and he continues to compete around the world. The triathlon has officially been accepted as an event in the 2016 Paralympic Games, and Martin says he will pursue competing in an exhibition event in the 2012 London Games.

“I had no idea that I would be a better runner, biker, swimmer with one leg than I was with two,” he said. Despite the stress, pain and strain, this has been his “path to full self-confidence and purpose.”

Here, in an excerpt from One Man’s Leg, Martin talks about training, his first attempt at becoming a runner and his continued struggles with the appendage he calls Stumpie:

I was introduced to the sport of triathlon the following summer after picking up a triathlon magazine one day. I flipped through the pages and saw a photo of Cam Widoff crossing a finish line in a shirt that read Will Race For Food. This simple statement impressed me—triathlon must be a pretty hip sport.

My desire to complete a triathlon grew after I heard about Jim MacLaren. At 290 pounds, Jim played defensive end for the Yale football team in the mid-’80s. A collision with a Manhattan bus while riding his motorcycle led to the amputation of his left leg below the knee. The EMTs pronounced Jim dead, twice, en route to the hospital. Thankfully, he survived and went on to become a very competitive triathlete. Jim’s struggle expanded in 1993. While competing in a triathlon in Orange County, Calif., his bike, at full speed, broadsided a van that had illegally entered the course. Jim suffered a broken neck in the crash, rendering him quadriplegic. He now makes his way around in a motorized wheelchair, but his indomitable spirit is as mobile as ever.

Jim’s accomplishments awed me. Up until that time, I considered a marathon an incredible feat to tackle with a prosthetic leg. But an Ironman? It sounded so extreme. Still, it was motivating to know that the list of possible achievements had no apparent end. Jim became a role model and gave me confidence to begin training for some shorter triathlons.

I decided to buy a mountain bike to begin training for my first triathlon. When I picked up the bike I had ordered from the Cosmic Wheel in Ridgefield, N.J., I met Dr. Rob DeStefano, a chiropractor in nearby Lodi. Dr. DeStefano was talking about his own Hawaiian Ironman experience with the shop’s proprietor. I stuck my nose into the conversation, telling Dr. Rob of my triathlon ambitions, and mentioning Jim MacLaren. Rob was familiar with him from races they had both competed in on the Big Island of Hawaii. Without hesitation, he agreed to help me get started in the sport.

A week later I met Dr. Rob at the Hackensack YMCA for a swim lesson. He chuckled when I demonstrated my technique. One lap, a mere 50 yards, left me huffin’ and puffin’. He pointed out the gross errors, including a horribly inefficient and hastened stroke, a misaligned body and an improper kick. But by the end of the month, swimming two to three days a week, my ability improved, I quadrupled in distance and nearly doubled in speed.

Dr. Rob then set me up with a 12-week program to help me complete my first sprint triathlon. Sprint races vary in distance but typically involve a half-mile swim, a 10- to 15-mile bike ride, and a three- to five-mile run. I continued to swim at the Hackensack YMCA and usually ran and cycled on the streets near Weehawken. Central Park was only a 20-minute commute on any given weekend. I spent most Saturday and Sunday afternoons there getting ready for my first race.

I found the perfect event to test my new abilities in my hometown of Gardner. By race
day, my swimming technique was still weak, so I used a pull buoy to conserve energy. Flotation devices are usually not allowed in triathlon, but the sympathetic race director
let me use one.

The bike section felt good, and I passed several competitors along the way, including a high school buddy who was cycling for a relay team. Stomach cramps late in the race made for a difficult run, but once the pain subsided I reeled in a few runners who had previously passed me. In the finish line sprint, I matched a competitor along the last 50 meters before he got the best of me. My grandmother, aunt and uncle, and some friends were there to cheer me through the finish. I placed 44th out of more than 100 triathletes. I felt pretty damn good—despite a blistered Stumpie.

I had trained primarily for the run, which is the toughest discipline for an amputee. My running improved throughout that summer in both distance and speed. Mike and his head prosthetist, Erik Shaffer, made continual socket adjustments to help me run with less pain. “Pain free” running, I have discovered, may very well remain theoretical.

In the 18 months since I first ran on Mike’s treadmill, I had competed on a national level in track and field and had completed my first triathlon. I was mentally prepared for my next challenge: the 1995 National Amputee Track & Field Games being held in Boston at the MIT athletic facilities in June.

I was running three or four days a week; Stumpie couldn’t handle any more than that. I would run on the Hoboken High School track a couple of times a week and a day or two on the road. I was also making many trips to the prosthetic shop to try to find an answer to my blistering problems. We were making gradual progress.

My duties at work lost their priority. I was putting all my creative energy into training. That was all that mattered to me. And the training began to pay off.

In Boston, I set a new national 1,500-meter record with a time of 5:20:88. I also ran the 400-meter and managed both a second place finish and a personal record time of 64.95 seconds, not particularly fast. In the 100-meter race, not having yet mastered my new sprinting leg, I tripped on the prosthesis right out of the starting blocks, but still managed to set another personal best of 13.93 seconds. Again, not too fast. I didn’t even qualify for the final heat of six runners. Still, I was developing a passion for mastering the run.

For the remainder of the summer I focused on the race Mike Joyce had predicted less than two years before: the New York City Marathon. A newly found friend became a motivator and mentor: Kathy Holmes, who was a member of the Somerset circle of friends I had entered by way of the ice hockey team and who had run the race the previous year, 1994, dared me to match her courage. The seeds of 26.2 miles of self-induced punishment were sown. To help guide my training she bought me a book for my birthday, Making the Marathon Your Event, by Richard Benyo.

Distance running was teaching me a great deal about prosthetic equipment. The more I ran, the more often I had to make the two-hour trip to the leg shop. I discovered that skin breakdown problems were caused not only by pistoning but also by the changing shape of my stump. Training resulted in a loss of body fat, even in Stumpie. This meant a change in shape and socket fit.

Suspension was a huge problem now that I was running the longer miles. I found a partial solution in a clear silicone liner that Erik thought we should try. The primary suspension problem was the introduction of air into the 3S, eliminating the intimate vacuum fit and causing enough pistoning to create abrasions and blistering. I wore an off-the-shelf silicone liner—a tube with a closed, cupped distal end—over my 3S. We cut a hole in the end for my pin to protrude to the shuttle lock. Its flexibility allowed for a tight fit up through my mid-thigh, thus preventing air from entering the 3S while still allowing sufficient flexion at the knee; this key innovation would contribute to my early distance running success.

Marathon day: Nov. 12, 1995—cold and rainy, 29 degrees Fahrenheit at the start. Sixty-mile-per-hour winds blew across the Verrazano Bridge, the first quarter mile of the marathon. I was dressed in mid-thigh Spandex shorts, a cotton T-shirt, nylon shell, official John Hancock cotton race hat and cotton gloves. Jurassic run wear but, hey, I was a rookie.

My hockey buddy, Jack Barr, had also accepted Kathy’s challenge. He joined me for the race along with Joan Nevin, a volunteer from Achilles Track Club. I would be running the race as a member of a club that had been founded to promote physically challenged runners and wheelers.

The three of us took our own sweet time preparing for the start of the race and, as a result, ended up in the back of the pack…of 27,500 runners! The organizers had recommended self-seeding, whereby a competitor places him/herself within the masses according to his/her anticipated race pace. We failed miserably in this regard. We reached the start line 20 minutes after the gun fired.

Plastic bags by the hundreds, which athletes donned to stay dry while waiting for the gun to fire, blew by and got entangled in many racers’ legs, causing some to stumble and fall. We managed 9-minute miles for the first part of the race by bobbing and weaving our way through the melee. By Mile 4 we increased our speed to eight-and-a-half-minute miles, then to eight-minute miles by Mile 7. As I ran, the constant pounding and slightly less than perfect socket fit inhibited circulation, causing increasingly intolerable pain. At Mile 8, I had to pull over to remove the leg to restore desperately needed blood flow. The pain forced me to remove the leg more and more frequently as the race progressed.

At each pit stop, the same pair of women passed us. We would return to battle to regain the lead, each of us making some type of “you again” comment. (One of the women researched my name and contact information through Achilles after the race and wrote weeks later, praising of my efforts. In fact, Sarina Glaser kept up the correspondence and remained a self-proclaimed “No. 1 Fan” for quite some time.)

The run up First Avenue was fabulous. Millions of people were cheering for their friends and family members as well as for total strangers. We heard “Go Achilles!”—The official cheer for any challenged runner—over and over again. In classic rookie fashion, Joan and I had each written “Go Paul” on our shirts to spark a bit of encouragement from the spectators. It
actually worked.

The race crossed the East River again, this time eastbound, on the Willis Avenue Bridge. There, at Mile 18, I hit the infamous “Wall.” This unwelcome threshold is reached when the muscle glycogen stores, then blood glucose, become so depleted that further energy must be supplied through food intake. Otherwise, muscles will begin to cannibalize and the central nervous system will experience severe fatigue. Jack humbly held himself back. Joan, too, could have maintained a quicker pace but chose to hang back with us. The Wall slowed our troop of three from what had been a nine-minute pace to a struggling 12-minute pace.

It was in this section of the race that I learned how wondrous an orange slice can be, how splendid its juices running down my throat can feel, how much energy one slice can provide. The sustenance came from the volunteer aid stations every mile along the course. Each pit was staffed by 20 to 25 God-sent individuals distributing water, Gatorade, oranges, bananas and energy bars.

Until then, the crowds had graced us with desperately needed enthusiasm and encouragement, but on the other side of the bridge in the Bronx, the sidelines were considerably thinner than they had been on Manhattan Island.

On the streets of this northernmost New York City borough, the race took a very hard right turn, causing a bottleneck in the flow of runners. Jack pulled off to get a banana and that was the last I saw of him for the remainder of the race. He had a more aggressive goal than I did, so I was relieved that I was no longer holding him back.

From the Bronx, we headed south onto Manhattan Island and into Harlem, at approximately Mile 20. By then, Stumpie was bummin’ hard and I had to stop at least once every mile. I stopped at one park bench for nearly two minutes—two minutes that passed much too quickly. Then Joan and I went on. The crowds became thinner still and the surrounding athletes thinned also. It became a mental feat just to keep moving.

Miles 20 through 23, the toughest of the day, drilled down Fifth Avenue through Harlem. This was an interesting section of the race, highlighted by the wonderfully welcomed smiles from the elderly ladies and little kids who probably witnessed the rite annually. In the heart of that infamous part of town, I consoled myself with the knowledge that I had less than 10 kilometers to go, a standard run on any other day. But it wasn’t any other day. I was nearing the end of my first marathon, and Stumpie was killing me.

The inspiration to keep moving actually came from the other runners. All around me I could see that their legs were burning and their feet were getting heavy—but they were still running.

Paty and the others had planned to meet us again at the entrance to Central Park at Fifth Avenue and 102nd Street. That corner would be a natural energy boost for all the competitors. The park marked the beginning of the end, and all the spectators from First Avenue had meandered west to catch the big finish. …Just past Mile 24, I heard them all hollering my name as Joan and I came into view. Paty kept waving her big, happy sign. They were all glad to see me upright and likely to finish. I plodded along at nearly an 11-minute-mile pace. We’d have just two more miles to go when we got back into the pack.
I pulled off the road and sat on a wall with Paty and Kathy. I removed not just my leg but also the liner and 3S. Stumpie was so tender. Regardless, we laughed and cheered and began a premature celebration. Although I was in no hurry to put that damned leg back on, I re-donned the equipment, post-hug, and pulled myself together to get out there for the last of the punishment.

With only minutes left in the struggle, my psyche strengthened and I began to feel wonderful. The pace picked up as we passed a slew of runners through the southern progression of the park. We briefly ran along the westbound half-mile stretch of Central Park South, the section of 59th Street adjacent to the southern edge of the park. I became incredibly energized. I was running at nearly a seven-minute mile pace! I had to bark “On your left!” time and again to clear a path. When we turned north back into the park, we had just 0.2 miles left. The crowd had been cheering incessantly since our entrance at Mile 23. The finish line bleacher seats came into view. Beautiful…

There it was, the finish line of the New York City Marathon. I kicked it in for an honorable finish, remembering Kathy’s advice: “Make sure no one’s around you when you get to within 30 feet of the finish line and put your arms up in victory. You’ll get a great finish line photo.” I slowed it up to a standstill until the immediate crowd surrounding me dispersed. Then I howled and threw my arms toward the sky and proceeded at a trot across the white line. Despite coming up 30 minutes short of my goal, a victorious feeling overwhelmed me from the inside out. And the finish line photo was perfect.

I received my finisher’s medal and, like everyone else, plodded along in euphoric discomfort toward the family and friends meeting place another three quarters of a mile through the park.

On the way, a park bench lawlessly invited me over for a reflective moment. I ignored the “No Crossing” tape and accepted the invitation.

Joan asked if I was OK and I told her that I just needed to be alone for a short while. When she had gone, I sat and cried for a good five minutes. A race volunteer approached and put her arm around me for comfort. I assured her that I couldn’t be happier. She smiled and left me to my thoughts.

I had just completed a marathon—in New York City. It was an accomplishment I had never considered pursuing in my 10-toed days. The finish line, earned through hard work and determination, taught me a lesson: From that moment on, I knew that anything I wanted to do, in any field, for any reason, was possible. If I dedicated myself to any reasonable goal, I could ultimately achieve it.

It occurred to me then that I was not only “as good” as I had been before the amputation; I was better. This accomplishment would be the launch pad to a future of unrestricted possibilities. But the first step, no trivial task, was to get off that bench.

Paul Martin’s memoir, One Man’s Leg, can be purchased on Amazon.com. You can find his second book, Drinking From my Leg, there as well. For information on Martin or to have him speak at your event, visit onemansleg.com.

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I ask Ksenia Lepikhina when she has time to sleep. She giggles and shrugs. Her parents laugh. The 8th-grader at Boulder Country Day School has classes and homework like any other kid her age.

But she’s also busy training in preparation for this year’s mountain biking national championships as well as dozens of mountain biking and cyclocross races throughout the spring and summer.

Lepikhina is the two-time junior national champion in mountain biking in her age group—in both 2009 and 2010. She joined Singletrack Mountain Bike Adventures when she was 9, and she now trains every day of the week. In the summer, mountain biking is practically a full-time job. She also trains for cyclocross two days a week and will spend most weekends this summer competing. She placed fifth in the cyclocross nationals last year; she rides for Boulder Junior Cycling. She also runs cross country, and she took 10th out of 445 kids in her age group in the 2010 Bolder Boulder. She’s competitive in skiing as well.

“A lot of people think it’s all about the competition,” she said. “But it’s fun. I love being outdoors. It’s a good way to get to go places, to travel.”

There are not many girls competing in cyclocross and even fewer in mountain biking. While Lepikhina competes against other girls her age, she trains with boys. Through the years, she’s pushed herself to keep up with them and has improved nicely—“I like riding with the boys.”

Her parents instilled a passion for sports and the outdoors in the 13-year-old, who was born in Russia and came to the United States as a baby. As a family, they ski, ride, climb and run together. Maksim and Marina Lepikhina said they want her to grow up with a passion for sports. They enjoy seeing her work toward a goal (or goals) and achieve them. More and more, they say, they can’t keep up with her.

Ksenia Lepikhina attributes her athletic successes to the hard work she’s put in.

“This is something I’ve talked with my parents about. I don’t believe that you are born with natural talent,” she says. “You have to practice. You have to work hard.”

“It’s the desire not to quit,” Marina adds. “There are races when the wind is awful or there is snow, and she is still going. She’s crying but she’s still going.”

She knows her strengths—endurance and climbing—and she works to have good all-around strength. In four years, she wants to go to the mountain bike world championships, and someday she would like to compete in the Olympics.

Any thing else, I ask?

“I also love to paint,” she adds with a smile.

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