Meet David Manthey | Running Coach & Race Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with David Manthey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi David, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
I’ve always been a very persistent person, and don’t walk away from things easily, especially when I’ve been told, “you can’t do that.” That persistent attitude, coupled with a will to out-hustle people, is probably my biggest asset. I’m not an elite runner by any means, so when I first started coaching distance runners in 2002, I knew that I would have to outwork other coaches in order to succeed long-term. The other key is staying humble, and learning from mistakes to turn them into successes. We’re all human, we all make mistakes, but those who are successful make the most of those mistakes.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
For both Runner’s Edge of the Rockies and the Bear Chase Race Series, I’ve always tried to take on the mindset/approach of: “If I was a runner in this training program or race, what would I want?” (Emphasis on “I”.) While that approach won’t make everyone happy — because everyone may not want/expect the exact same thing — I figure it at least puts me in a mindset where I’m working hard to satisfy my clients and provide them with a premium experience. I would also say that my biggest challenge has been learning how to delegate and let go of every aspect of running these business. As a small business owner, everything comes back to me… So if a runner isn’t satisfied with some aspect of the training program or race, it always comes back to me. And as Runner’s Edge of the Rockies grew, and as I created more trail races, my plate became fuller and fuller, and I’ve been forced to offload some of the work to my assistants. And that’s been tough at times, to trust that the quality will stay high, even if I’m not “hands on” with each aspect of what a runner experiences.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh boy… This is a toughie. What kind of week-long trip? Is it a social, tourist-type trip, or more of a self-exploration in nature type trip? Being an ultra runner, I have so many great trails and areas to run and explore. It honestly might come down to what part of the Denver metro-area someone is staying in and where they want to go. Of course, I’m probably partial to the west/south side of town with all of the tremendous trail systems and parks to run through, and there are plenty of great, locally-owned restaurants to refuel at after the run is over.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I definitely always give thanks to the Runner’s Edge of the Rockies members who have entrusted me to guide them through the training process, and to those runners who have run any of my Bear Chase Trail Series races. Those runners are putting trust in me to receive great training and race experiences, and that motivates me to work hard. It also inspires me to see them cross the finish line and hear their individual stories of struggle and success. I also have to give a special shout-out to my wife Julie, because the art of trying to turn a personal passion into a career is very difficult. There have been many ups & downs along the way, but together our “type-A, no-quit” personalities, coupled with her success in her own career, has allowed me to take risks, grind through the tough spots, and continue to grow what we started in 2003.

Website: https://www.runnersedgeoftherockies.com/ — https://www.bearchaseraceseries.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runnersedgeco/ — https://www.instagram.com/bearchasetrailrace/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RunnersEdgeCO — https://twitter.com/BearChaseRace/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/runnersedgeoftherockies/ — https://www.facebook.com/TheBearChaseTrailRace/