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Steamboat Springs — The Steamboat Pentathlon is not for the faint of heart.

This is the kind of thing you think up with your buddies over a beer, agree that it's a good idea over another brew, and then never bring it up again -- at least not when you are sober.

I would agree that downhill skiing, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, biking and running are all fine sports. I might even give all of these sports a chance during the course of a winter.

But who came up with the crazy idea of doing them all in a single morning?

Probably a couple of guys (or gals) sharing a beer at one of Steamboat's hot spots.

But to be fair, not everybody thinks the idea is totally insane.

Next week, nearly 200 people will show up at Howelsen Hill for the 12th annual Steamboat Pentathlon. Believe it or not, more than a few of them will be completing all five events by themselves. Some of the less extreme competitors will trade off legs in the team event.

Local endurance athlete Betsy Kalmeyer will be attempting to complete her 10th Steamboat Pentathlon. It's a mark few people have reached and one I will never threaten during my life. No way.

Trust me, if I was attempting this year's pentathlon, the official timer at the finish line would need a stopwatch that measured time in days, weeks and months instead of hours, minutes and seconds.

I would break into a sweat just packing all that gear into my car to get to Howelsen. By the time I unloaded the car and carried my stuff to the transition area, I would need a nap -- a long winter's nap.

That prospect alone is enough to make me admire Pentathlon veterans like Kalmeyer, Dick Curtis, Dan Smilkstein and Bob Dapper.

Over the past decade, they have set the standard for endurance in Steamboat Springs and inspired future generations to give the Pentathlon a shot.

So if you enjoy downhill skiing, snowshoeing, cross county skiing, biking and running, this event is for you.

But just remember, this event really isn't for the faint of heart.