Amanda Wood dreams big. But she’s starting out with a small yet attainable goal to help fund a rubberized track and turf field behind the junior/senior high school in Cripple Creek.

“Our track is not a track; it’s asphalt,” said Wood, who teaches middle-school science and coaches basketball, cross country and track. “We have a perfect space for a really nice track.”

With Cripple Creek’s high altitude, 9,500 feet, Wood thinks a rubberized track would be useful as a training site for Olympic athletes who currently train in Colorado Springs. “I’m trying to get the ball rolling that way but don’t want to push too hard, too fast,” she said.

In the meantime, she’s initiating the inaugural Pioneers Race to Success, a virtual 5K run which is open to participants across the nation. “It’s more to just get the Pioneers (the team name) name out there,” she said. “I just want people to get involved.”

For those who’d rather exert energy in person, a 5K run through town starts at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 3. The race begins and ends at the track.

Both races cost $40 to enter, which includes a Pioneer T-shirt and medal. Registration for both is online at: bit.ly/3x4Ssjw.

Acknowledging the steep uphill climb to achieve the eight-lane track — an estimated cost of $1 million — Wood intends to seek funds through grants and donations from corporations and the business community.

“Our kids need something to be prideful of,” she said. “If we pull back from this I think we’re missing out on a huge opportunity.”