The 11th annual Iron Phi running trip is here, exploring the vast state of Montana. From National Parks (Yellowstone & Glacier) and college towns (Bozeman & Missoula) to scenic highways and rugged towns in between, I’ll be combining my love of running, travel, and philanthropy for an amazing week with my pal Kerrie Herren. Together, we’ve raised $7,500 to support the fight against ALS and support Phi Delta Theta Fraternity.
Day 1 kicked off with a an early-morning flight out of Des Moines to Bozeman, Montana, arriving just after Noon. Kerrie and I linked up, grabbed our trusty Chrysler Pacific van, and headed downtown to venture out on our first run.
The city of Bozeman is named after John Bozeman, a frontiersman who helped establish the Bozeman Trail in the 1860s. The trail became an important route for settlers traveling to Montana’s goldfields. Bozeman sits in a valley surrounded by mountains, has a college town vibe, and has become very popular, doubling its population in the past 20 years.
What a better way to kickoff of our photo tour than with the famous trout mural on the side of the Montana Anglers business. Montana has a world-famous fly-fishing culture, and the mural reflects the region’s connection to its rivers, outdoor recreation and abundant trout. My Iowa State fraternity brother Drew Miller gets the first shout-out of the trip, and my gut says he’s thrown a line or two in the water.
The Baxter Hotel is a historic downtown landmark dating back to 1929. Its rooftop sign can be seen from many Bozeman vistas, and the hotel sits in the heart of downtown. My former colleauge Debbie Smith was generous to sponsor the stop. She recently retired from Phi Delta Theta after many years of service to the organization.
Kerrie and I ran from downtown Bozeman to Montana State University. On the way, we started to realize that the town sits nearly a mile high. We both took the moment to mildly complain and state that we probably should have trained more for this adventure. Founded in 1893, Montana State is Montana’s largest university and home of the Bobcats. We found the standard university welcome sign for a picture, and I thanked Allan Williams, a fellow Phi Delt who has the best laugh in the business and has taught me how to travel with those living the gluten-free life.
In the heart of campus sits the Spirit the Bobcat Statue, a beloved bronze statue of the school’s mascot. We arrived to a crowded scene, students everywhere walking betwen classes. In our best effort to not stand out too much as the sweaty old guys randomly running through campus, we took a short break to wait for the crowd to pass. With an open view, and successfully avoiding being recruited into the Church of Latter Day Saints, I thanked great friends Brad & Mindy Carlson. Brad and I have a history of taking photos with animal sculptures on campus, so this seemed fitting.
Our next stop was Bobcat Stadium, home of the 2025-26 FCS national championship Montana State Bobcat football team. You never know if you can get inside college football stadiums these days, but my mustache came in handy once again as we assumed people thought I was there to fix the plumbing. We watched the marching band practice, and I thanked my wonderful colleague and designer extraordinaire Jennifer Morrow for her donation.
Bozeman has a great craft brewing scene, and Bridger Brewing sits near Montana State University. With it being on our running route, Kerrie and I felt obligated to stop in and say hi to the friendly staff. I used Bridger Brewing as my first Runner’s Choice stop and thanked former colleauge and loyal supporter Stephen Bloomer.
Bozeman is a dinosaur town, and across the street from Bobcat Stadium sits the Museum of the Rockies, a nationally recognized museum famous for its extensive dinosaur fossil collection. The museum includes one of the largest collections of T-Rex specimens and also features exhibits on Montana’s natural history and the American West. I thanked Tillie’s former colleague at Miami University who has one of my favorite names around, Elissa Christmas. Elissa also wins the prize for first donation to this year’s running trip!
We jumped on the Gallagator Trail, a popular trail that follows a former railroad corridor through Bozeman. It connects neighborhoods, parks and downtown, offering a convenient way to explore the city on foot or by bike. We appreciated the soft gravel running surface and mountainous background, and I took a break to thank my former colleague Landon Killion for his donation. Landon is a fellow Rover dog host, so I enjoy seeing his journey taking care of others’ pups.
The next phase of our day included elevation and views of Bozeman from above. We climbed Peets Hill and took in the views at Burke Park Overlook. Montana’s reputation as Big Sky Country really started to make sense at this point, and we were blessed with incredible weather in Bozeman. We made friends with a number of offleash dogs living their best lives, and I thanked another former colleague Laurie Rosenberger for her donation.
Heading back downtown, we stumbled upon the beautiful Bozeman Public Library. Upon seeing it, Kerrie and I both immediately suggested it as a Runner’s Choice, and it made sense to thank David and April Etler. April was our kids’ daycare provider in their early years, and David was their main candy supplier. Since my last running trip, both of their kids have gotten married!
I love the architecture of old western cities with many old industry buildings adapted to the new generation. Housed in a historic railroad freight building, Montana Ale Works caught our eye. While we had other places to be and didn’t go inside, I took the moment to thank friends Joe & Sarah Wechsler. Our family went on a big RV trip (that included Montana) years ago with the Wechslers, and it will always be a travel highlight of my life.
My favorite Indiana Hoosier and Live Like Lou colleague Jeremy Smith loves a good dive bar, and we found one that he’d enjoy. The Crystal Bar is a classic downtown Bozeman dive bar dating back to the 1930s. Chatting with the bartender, we learned that the Crystal Bar was featured in the Yellowstone TV series. I imagine it won’t be the first time we run across a connection to this popular series along the trip.
We checked in to the Wandering Buffalo Hotel and headed out to hike the M Trail, one of Bozeman’s most recognizable hiking destinations. The hike features a large white letter M on the Bridger Mountains overlooking the city. The trail climbs to the landmark and rewards hikers with sweeping views of the Gallatin Valley. We had already run six miles, so we decied to take the “shortcut” to the M. What we didn’t realize was that the “shortcut” meant you walked straight up a mountain for .7 miles. Brutal. I was excited to thank my colleague Renee Crist Lefter, because she’s completed this hike and had similar cardiovascular feelings along the way. A rewarding hike!
After a long day of travel coupled with wandering around town, we were starving. Mountains Walking Brewing was our planned destination for dinner, and it didn’t dissapoint. Amazing food and some of the state’s best craft beer left us both fulfilled. I thanked my Iowa State fraternity brother Andy Tu who I look forward to thanking a number of times during the trip for his amazing support.
Our final stop of the day MAP Brewing, another one of Montana’s top breweries. We arrived at closing time, but they were generous enough to let us look around. We offered to help cleanup, so they sent me behind the bar to offer a hand and thank my pal Chris Hill. While Chris prefers a nice Coors Banquet Beer while sitting on a floatie in his pool, I knew he’d appreciate this.
We had an amazing day in Bozeman, and Kerrie and I both agreed that we could live here. Off to Yellowstone National Park in the morning!
