Domenick D'Amico is the February Runners Roost Runner of the Month. He'll receive a new pair of Mizuno running shoes from Runners Roost. The Runner of the month promotion is the combined effort of Runners Roost, Mizuno and PikesPeakSports.us

Domenick D'Amico placed his toe on the starting line of the 2010 Rescue Run in Palmer Park.

It marked the beginning of new chapter for the Boston native. He was determined to make his first race in Colorado Springs a memorable one.

"I got to the park and met some of the elite runners and they were saying, 'oh, you're from Boston. Did you ever run the Boston Marathon?' I told them I had and they said, 'come on up here and run with us.'"

Read about Kelly Calway, January's Runner of the Month

D'Amico had completed the Boston Marathon, arguably the world's most famous footrace, many times, and he typically knocked off 14 miles on his Saturday morning runs. He confidently lined up next to Dan Castaneda, Peter Maksimow, Gerald Romero and Dan Vega, some of the state's fastest people. What could go wrong?

"I start running with these guys and we start up the first hill and suddenly I'm just trying to breathe," D'Amico said. "Then the hill goes up a little more. I'm looking at my legs ...'OK, are you going to run today."

D'Amico and his wife, Karen, had flown into Colorado Springs from sea level only 12 hours before the start of the race. It never occurred to him that the altitude might pose a problem.

"By the time I got to the top of the hill, a woman saw that I was struggling and asked if I was OK," D'Amico said. "She asked how long I had been in Colorado, and asked her 'what time is it?'"

He doesn't recall her name, but she helped him find a home in the running community, suggesting he join the Pikes Peak Road Runners and several area running groups.

D'Amico, 44, who speaks with a rich Boston accent, is now a fixture at races throughout the Pikes Peak Region.

He still runs plenty, and he hopes to someday clock a 3:15 marathon and qualify for his 10th  Boston Marathon. But D'Amico knows there is more to running than miles-per-week and age-group placing. He is an invaluable volunteer, working at events nearly every weekend. He a co-coach with the Kokopelli Kids and Landsharks youth running programs.

His dedication to the running community makes him an excellent choice as the Runners Roost February Runner of the Month. The Runner of the Month program is a combined effort of Runners Roost, Mizuno Shoes and PikesPeakSports.us. As Runner of the Month, D'Amico will receive a new pair of Mizuno running shoes.

"The volunteering ... to come here and not know anybody, I was looking for that comfort zone that for me had always been running and getting involved as much as I could," he said.

And he found a community that embraced him.

"The people here are very accepting of outsiders," he said. "That makes this place special."

As soon as he crossed the finish line and caught his breath at the 2010 Rescue Run, he joined the Pikes Peak Road Runners. Days later he was running on Mondays with the local Soul Runners group and The Jack Quinn's Running Club on Tuesday.  

He now serves on the Pikes Peak Road Runners board of directors and can be found running with and coaching the Kokopelli kids two days a week.

"I have always been involved in some sort of coaching or running," D'Amico said. "It's amazing to help out, whether it's with PPRR events, working s at Sailin' Shoes, or working with Lisa Rainsberger with Kokopelli or with the Junior Olympic team Landsharks. It's what I enjoy doing."

Rainsberger said D'Amico reached out to her. The two have Boston in common. Rainsberger was the last U.S.woman to win the Boston Marathon (1985).

"He sent a goofy e-mail to me," she said. "I was thinking, OK, what is his motive? But he doesn't have one. He just wanted to be involved. And the kids just love him."