I have accomplished all the goals that I have set forth in full marathoning and need a new challenge. The Marathon Maniacs have formed another club for half marathoners called the Half Fanatics. Membership opened on July 15, 2009 and there are 128 members as of August 20, 2009. The club is organized much in the same way as the Marathon Maniacs. Any sanctioned race that is equal to a half marathon or more but strictly less than a full marathon is a race that qualifies. My wife, Gerda, and I joined. Gerda easily met the qualifying standards and is at level 8 in the club. No one else so far is more than level 6. I just barely qualified for level 1. Both Gerda and I intend to reach the highest level, level 10, by Christmas 2010. In the process Gerda, who has 44 states now, will have finished doing a half marathon in each of the 50 states by November 1, 2009. I expect to complete all fifty states by the summer of 2011 even though I only have one state, Florida, at this time.

Colorado White Buffalo

Colorado Pronghorn Antelope

Colorado Marmot

Colorado Deer

Colorado Squirrel

Colorado Grange Hall and Rural School

Canon City, Colorado #3

Canon City, Colorado #2

Canon City, Colorado #1

Royal Gorge Frontier Village near Canon, Colorado #7

Royal Gorge Frontier Village near Canon, Colorado #6

Royal Gorge Frontier Village near Canon, Colorado #5

Royal Gorge Frontier Village near Canon, Colorado #4

Royal Gorge Frontier Village near Canon, Colorado #3

Royal Gorge Frontier Village near Canon, Colorado #2

Royal Gorge Frontier Village near Canon, Colorado #1

Royal Gorge of the Arkansas River near Canon, Colorado #4

Royal Gorge of the Arkansas River near Canon, Colorado #3

Royal Gorge of the Arkansas River near Canon, Colorado #2

Royal Gorge of the Arkansas River near Canon, Colorado #1

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado #7

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado #6

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado #5

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado #4

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado #3

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado #2

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado #1

Pikes Peak, Colorado Cog Train #3

Pikes Peak, Colorado Cog Train #2

Pikes Peak, Colorado Cog Train #1

A view from the summit of Pikes Peak, Colorado.

Katharine Lee Bates pens the words to "America The Beautiful" after visiting the summit of Pikes Peak, Colorado on July 22, 1893.

Flowers on the Pikes Peak Mountain

The road up to the summit of Pikes Peak, Colorado #5

The road up to the summit of Pikes Peak, Colorado #4

The road up to the summit of Pikes Peak, Colorado #3

The road up to the summit of Pikes Peak, Colorado #2

The road up to the summit of Pikes Peak, Colorado #1

The weather on the summit of Pikes Peak, Colorado changes in less than a minute #2

The weather on the summit of Pikes Peak, Colorado changes in less than a minute #1

Dry thunder storm at the summit of Pikes Peak, Colorado #2

Dry thunder storm at the summit of Pikes Peak, Colorado #1

Pikes Peak Marathon return route on the Barr Trail in Colorado

I am at the summit of Pikes Peak, Colorado

Pikes Peak Marathon route on the Barr Trail in Colorado #9

Pikes Peak Marathon route on the Barr Trail in Colorado #8

Pikes Peak Marathon route on the Barr Trail in Colorado #7

Pikes Peak Marathon route on the Barr Trail in Colorado #6

Pikes Peak Marathon route on the Barr Trail in Colorado #5

Pikes Peak Marathon route on the Barr Trail in Colorado #4