Castle Pines resident runner rebrands with Run Colorado
Castle Pines resident Pete Solano’s passion for running has translated into his profession. His Boulder Running Company store is being rebranded, and is now Run Colorado.
By Elizabeth Wood West; photo by Tim Gamble
“Running has been a constant for most of my life,” said Pete Solano, Castle Pines resident and owner of the Boulder Running Company in Greenwood Village. “Running is for almost everyone – whether you’re part of a pack, an individual, or even if you’re in a wheelchair. There are so many different levels of reward and it can be life-changing,” he said.
Solano’s running philosophy runs deep and dates back to his college football training days and his nine years in the Marine Corps. Solano has experienced firsthand the struggle of what it takes to come back from an injury. It was after he was wounded in 2004, just outside of Fallujah in Iraq, that Solano’s running philosophy was put to the test. Solano was medically- discharged from the Marines and eventually recovered with the help and support from the Wounded Warrior Project, a group that he continues to support today.
After the Marine Corps, Solano went to work for the State Department in Monterrey, Mexico, but left the position after three years due to the increasing danger from drug cartel crime.
Solano, his wife Tara, and daughters Amelia and Zoe moved to Castle Pines in 2009. Inspired by the help he had received, Solano’s desire to help others came to fruition when an opportunity to become an owner of a new Boulder Running Company store presented itself in 2009.
Solano built his business, one customer at a time, by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each of his customers, offering a five-step fitting process and a unique in-store video-gait analysis service (video-taping a customer while they run on a treadmill). The video assists Solano and his staff in making sure the customer is being fitted with the best shoe for their needs. Beginning this spring, Solano will take his business to the next level by offering a new online running apparel line and will rebrand his store “Run Colorado.”
In addition to his ongoing support for The Wounded Warrior Project, Solano supports local 5K races, including Castle Pines’ own American Academy Fun Run, and is working with New Balance on scholarship programs for runners.
Run Colorado is located at 8505 E. Arapahoe Road in Greenwood Village. For additional information, visit www.runcolorado.com.
