Runner getting set for Boulderthon motivated, trains with beloved buddy

Seven thousand runners will take to the streets of Boulder for Boulderthon, a premier marathon series. It's the third year for the event, and every runner has their own motivation for running. For Galen Sylk, her motivation is her dog, Baxter.

"He's very sweet, very friendly," she says of the Golden Retriever/ Springer Spaniel/Beagle mix. "One of the reasons I got a dog is because I wanted an adventure buddy."

At three years old, Baxter is already suffering from hip dysplasia and spinal disease and can't run.

"Do I leave him at home for this time that I get to spend outdoors? Or do I do something that I can bring him along?" Sylk said.

Sylk is determined to give Baxter his best life, so she put him in a sturdy stroller.

"He really likes to stick his head out of the top," she said as she unzipped the top of the stroller.

Now Baxter comes along while Sylk trains for her first half marathon, which she will run at Boulderthon.

"When you're pushing a 70-pound dog in a 30-pound stroller and then you don't push him…the miles just go… it's so much easier," she explained.

Sylk's experience with Baxter made her want to improve the lives of other dogs. She volunteers at Soul Dog Rescue in Fort Lupton. She organizes Rescue Dog Walks & Doggie Hikes at a website called baxtersmountain.

"The difference in seeing a dog in his cage or his kennel in the shelter and you go outside for less than a minute, they're a completely different dog," she told CBS News Colorado.

Sylk knows how much getting outside helps Baxter and she also knows that she needs to stay healthy so together they can continue their adventures.

LINK: Race Day Information for Boulderthon

Boulderthon runs Sunday, October 8, 2023 at 7:30 a.m. The start/finish line