I messed up during the 2023 Colorado Trail Race. It was bad. I lost control of the only thing I could control out there – myself. Yet in every failure lies a lesson. I discovered what lies beyond my breaking point and suffered the consequences of visiting that place. I found great power in that knowing.

I completed my second Colorado Trail Race a few days ago. I’ve finally emerged from the fog far enough to start writing down some thoughts. First, I did it! Second, I did it faster than I ever thought I could. Third, I did it on a single speed. Fourth, I did it with my rowdy friends, and made sooooo many new ones. I’m SUPER proud of ALL of these things, but especially the last. Time to off-load a little love for those that made my journey so special…

In the end - I made it - to both the start, and the finish, of the 2022 Colorado Trail Race. A month later that feels like the most trivial outcome of my journey.

The most significant? I felt the collective flame of humanity work to overcome the darkness. It was a soul-searing experience. Raw. Powerful. And yes, “life-changing” in ways I am still struggling to process.