![]() I was born with a body built for power and short bursts of speed. By the end of the challenge, I could no longer imagine a world where I wasn’t waking up at 4 a.m. And in those 41 days, everything changed - my body, my mindset, and my way of life. So this challenge was basically a giant exercise in exposing and overcoming my worst traits.Īt the end of 10 weeks, I had climbed 100,757 vertical feet covering 309 miles over 41 days of running. Frankly, I have a history of quitting athletic endeavors when they get hard, and I’ve never been a strong finisher. The author cooling off in the snow on a 13er peak during a trail run photo credit: Bryce Denton.Įxcept … I’m not a runner. And, as I would learn, human triumph through pain, suffering, and sheer will is emphatically not canceled. So naturally, the series’ organizers decided to remind everyone that adventure isn’t canceled. There is nothing easy about a challenge put on by the Leadville Trail Series - not even in a year when races are canceled and the world reels from a pandemic. Increase your V02 max - the maximum amount of oxygen your body is capable of utilizing - with this short, fun fartlek workout. How to Boost V02 Max: Billat 30-30 Interval Workout Now on the other side of 100K, I can say my life hasn’t been the same since I made that decision. Living in Colorado and wanting to bag some of America’s most amazing peaks in the process put me over the edge. My newfound interest in trail running, combined with my COVID lockdown motto of “Let’s see what my body can do,” pushed me to consider giving it a shot. The goal: Attempt to reach 100,000 feet in vertical gain in a period of 10 weeks. Nevertheless, I signed up.Ī do-it-yourself, season-long challenge, the Leadville 100K dared participants to get outside and run. And, oh yeah, I was at least 50 pounds overweight. It just so happens that determination and stupid ideas are my specialties.Īs a matter of fact, prior to taking on the Leadville 100K Challenge, I had only run 40 miles with a grand total of 9,000 feet of vert in my lifetime. It takes a certain level of determination (and stupidity) to essentially go from the couch to completing a 100,000-vertical-foot running challenge. But this summer, I ran 309 miles over 41 days for the Leadville 100K Challenge, and I’m not even a runner. I had never run more than 40 miles total - in my life.
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