The A-Team’s Hannibal on my Leadville 100 finish

Ever wondered what it takes to push yourself beyond what you thought possible?

I've got some insights to share that might just change how you approach your biggest challenges.
I just completed the Leadville 100.

Yep, that's a grueling 100-mile ultramarathon!
It started to hurt from mile 20 but I had no doubt that I was going to finish the race.

It’s exciting when a plan comes together perfectly.
Let’s dive in.

🎯 The Execution

This race wasn’t my fastest, but it was without a doubt, my best. It was an hour and 20 minutes slower than I raced in 2017. But I am so much happier, satisfied and at peace with the results than I was with previous race.

I am grateful for the process, impact, and influence it has on family, crew, fellow runners, & volunteers. One of my goals was to run with joy, appreciation, and a smile on my face. And I did that to the point where my memories of the day are people at aid stations cheering me on as I went past in awe.

​Commenting how I was still smiling at mile 60, and even at 99 miles into the race.
But it wasn’t all rosy.

💪 The Climb and The Grind

The altitude is no joke at Leadville. While I've run that course many times, nothing can prepare you for the climb up Hope pass — 3000 feet of vertical gain twice, especially when you are 40 miles into the race.

It is such a hard endeavor. I didn't climb it as fast as I have done outside of 100 mile race. But this time I found a gear to climb and I didn't stop until I got to the top.

One of the things that happens so often in this race is seeing people climb as hard as they can, and then stop at some point I saw runners who were once ahead of me stop and sit by the trail, heads in hands. And stopping is what you want to avoid, because at that point you're not moving.

The goal is always to keep moving, progressing, and keep climbing. It’s not about big bursts of energy. That will only end up forcing you to stop and question your motivation to keep going. It’s about relentless forward progress.

The trick in a race like this, and in life, is to find a pace you can sustain indefinitely, that doesn’t lead to despair or make you stop. One that allows you to keep moving no matter the pain until things eventually improve.

Because they always do.

🗯️ The Power of a Clear 'Why’

When I assess my why for doing this race, I can say that I achieved my goals.
My biggest “why” was to be a model for my son.

I wasn't just aiming for the finish line, I ran every step with joy and appreciation. I smiled at everyone I interacted with and wholeheartedly embraced the experience.

I was able to model an exemplary behavior to family and friends — what it looks like to set, execute and put in the work towards an audacious goal with grit, guts and determination. ‘

My biggest highlight of the race was the final stretch where my wife handed me our son in the stroller, and we crossed the finish line as one team.

🤗 “I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends”

I can’t talk about this race without giving thanks and kudos to my incredible support crew.
Their support was magical. I couldn't have done this race without them.

From the volunteers at aid stations to my three amazing pacers — Elliot, Adam, and Ed who joined me for the final 38 miles. They kept my spirit high, pushed me to run when I wanted to walk, and helped me cross the finish line stronger than ever.

Their support reminded me that a dedicated team plays a crucial role in manifesting our goals.

💥 Notable Insights

Every successful and unsuccessful goal leave lessons to be learned.
Here are my takeaways from this race:

1. Having a clear “why” for taking on a challenge or a goal can be a source of energy and commitment to push through the darkest times.

2. Goals that scare you and push you out of your comfort zone are the ones that lead to true transformation.

3. Having a goal or a “why” isn’t enough, you need a plan to execute, to prepare, and to move towards that goal consistently. In my case, the combination of a running plan and #75hard built my physical capability and mental toughness to do a race like this.

4. Focus on the process not just results, while you continue to draw on your “why” to fuel the execution of your goal.

5. Surround yourself with a supportive crew who share same experience and can move you towards achieving your goal.

6. Always appreciate the journey. That’s how you get to see how far you’ve come and the areas you can do better.

📈 What’s Next?

After achieving a big goal, you're often left wondering now what?

I allowed myself to dream of what it would look like to run the race the way I planned to, and run it under 24 hours. That particular result didn't manifest this time around, and that is okay. I am happy with my performance, but I'm even more excited about the future.

I know there's still untapped potential waiting to be discovered through more training, consistency, and continuous growth. Running the race under a day is possible, and it's something I am excited to pursue in the next couple of years. This is a funny dichotomy — I have achieved my goals, but I know there's more. So my question for you is:

What is that audacious goal that challenges you to transform into a better version of yourself?
The goals never ends. So what’s next?

Start working on the next goal with lessons learned from the last one. As Ken Chlouber, the founder of Leadville, famously says: "You are better than you think you are. You can do more than you think you can."

It only requires your commitment to not quit when the going gets tough.

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