 Whoo looking good looking good, where'd it go? Nice nice nice Nice work nice work. All right. It feels good to be back in Leadville It feels good to be back going up. Hope pass. I haven't been here since last year's Leadville 100 my legs hurt so bad It's hard to imagine being able to run Again today, and I'm back this year as part of the Leadville run camp to get some miles in and Get ready for this year's race because I Want to do it again? Last year I had a really rough final 25 miles this Is excruciating It's taking every ounce of energy to move my body forward and I think I can do better So that's why I'm back. I want to improve and it's just fun to be part of the energy and excitement of Leadville You all remember Bob Africa from last year. You don't bud. What's up, man? How are you doing good? Good? Good. We're gonna go up this thing Four miles to the tippy top and at what point the race is this this is like 40 42 43 okay, so outbound like 50 Is inbound so this is where Starts getting real Yeah Yeah, and so you go up and over to a place called wind field and then you come back up and over hope so It's kind of a big deal right in the middle of the race. So Bob first of all does anybody run up? Hope? I'm sure a few have like Mac Carpenter and a few others, but I think it's it's a foreign few between and I'm not sure that That matches the burner worth it. So yeah, so what is what's your strategy here? You've done so to remind everybody you've done Ledville Five times five times Yeah, you know what's up. I I know what not to do Yeah, so like this rate this course is like, you know, you're in the mountains you're high 10,000 feet, but It's actually very Flat so like 85 percent of the course is runnable, which is hard to run for 85 miles Is a lot versus some courses you get a bit more reprieve with ups and downs so When I get the hope And a few others, but this is the kind of crown jewel. I am Psyched to walk It's like oh, I can not have to run anymore. So I pick up poles here typically I'll start hammer on the poles But look at this is like a way to really You know catch up on any food and drink kind of give it some of your body arrest Maybe your mind arrest and just pushing hard running Just enjoy it, you know four miles of Bliss. Yeah, this is super steep like Look at this And if you do run this You're gonna just blow yourself up There's really no reason because you're not going much faster than a fast hike. This is 13,000 feet up here 128 Yeah so Not a whole lot of oxygen in the air For all of you sea level people This is my first time this summer up in the high mountains and I've missed it. Oh So beautiful it just smells good, you know the decomposing pine needles Just smells like home. I'm really fortunate and grateful To be back and I'm super psyched That I'm doing Leadville again Because after last year's race, I didn't know if I ever wanted to run another race of my life It hurts so bad, but I'm moving forward and I'm still smiling even though I'm in serious pain and discomfort But we humans Forget about pain pretty quickly and within a couple weeks. I'm like I want to go back All right, I just caught up to a legend John Kelly He's one of the few humans on the planet to have ever finished the Barkley race that crazy race out in Tennessee He has all sorts of very impressive FKT efforts. He's a mountain goat and John You know, this is a point in the race where people are having a hard time. They're spooked by hope pass How do you get yourself through the toughest moments when you're out there? So there are a few ways that the main one is just remembering that I've been there before, you know, one of the first things that was told to me in Ultras was it doesn't always get worse and so that's that's very much true and The more you do these sorts of things the more you kind of have a reservoir To draw on of those past experiences of you know, well, I made it through this and that and this other thing and You know, I can do this I can pop out of this It can get better and then another Just thinking about What me 24 hours later We'll think of the decision. Yeah, you know with Am I gonna regret this? Am I gonna be happy with it and think it's the right call and There have definitely been those times where you know my my health or safety has has been at risk and learning where those boundaries are and when to call that's important, but You know, the vast majority at the time if you think 24 hours from now I'm really gonna regret this All this work I put into it All this work other people have put in to support me to get here and you know all I had left was You know, even if you're halfway, you know say I got I got 15 hours left What's 15 hours compared to the months? And months sometimes years. Yeah of work that has gone into it. It's nothing. Yeah, so, you know it might uh Might hurt at the time, but it's It's it's definitely worth it and Well, go ahead. What you're saying is you it's very rare that you quit is what you're saying I I have quit there have been you know tortoise yonk last year just 50 miles into a 200 mile race. I I ended up with a rhabdo. Oh, wow. I still don't quite know how you know, I've gone farther I've gone harder. I've gone higher. I've gone faster been in worse weather It's just a unique combination of variables and so you've always got to be aware of those things You've got to be able to recognize When it's just Normal pain and you need to push through it versus Hey, something seriously wrong here and that you know, that's That's where I was at tortoise yonk, but it also As some of these supported things the past few years I've done and where I've had crew That's also been a big motivation for me of thinking these people taking their time and their effort to come out and support me and you know the middle of the night and horrible weather and What am I gonna do could just just quit and not show up on them so yeah, I mean I have quit that boundary does exist for sure but you know, you got to exhaust all your options Really think things through of how you'll feel about it the next day and uh Process things that way because you know, I can guarantee you the next day I was quite happy that I quit And didn't end up with a hospital in the hospital at tortoise yonk Yeah, you mentioned thinking things through a lot of times when you're 20 hours into a hard race Your decision-making isn't top-notch. Yep. You know, how do you How do you pull yourself out of a pain cave to have somewhat of a reasonable mindset? Yeah, that's that's a tough one. Uh, and that's again, we're having that experience to draw on is is important, but also Where the crew is important? Yeah, and the crew Hello. Hey there Uh, the crew needs to know your plan and your goals and kind of your your personal quirks ahead of the race and they need to be able to remind you of those things and You know help make you make help you make sure That that this is the right decision and kind of add that extra layer of uh You know coherent thought to that decision but in the end it's it's still Your decision at one. Do you have any advice for people maybe watching this? Who want to get into running? That's not not even go to the hundred mile distance. Maybe start at five k's or 10 k's What kind of advice do you have for people? Who are just Maybe a little bit scared To put on the running shoes and go for it ah, well I often say the longest reasonable distance to to run is a half marathon So, you know the one big thing is make Make sure you know your motivation make sure you know your why and your reasons behind it and you know Hold that close in your mind the other thing is uh just Know how much more you're capable of than you than you think you are than When you're scared and first getting started. I mean I'm not I don't embrace the phrase of You can do anything you set your mind to because I mean You can't I'm never gonna dunk a basketball or run a 10 second hundred meters but everyone is capable of so much more than they think they are in in any area uh, again when I started this I wanted to see How I could do an marathon I wanted to try to qualify for boston Didn't go well um I was well short of boston qualifier on that first attempt and just gradually kind of chipped away at my boundary and moved it farther and farther out and it it really takes a A lot of building and a lot of that iterative improvement to even get an idea of where Your personal limit is like where I am now It wasn't even within sight. It wasn't even on the horizon From where I was when I started I would have thought you were crazy If you had told me I'd be doing these things Back then when I ran that first marathon and Couldn't walk for the next week or most of the last eight miles for that matter All right on man I really appreciate you sharing your wisdom It's fun to get to know you and I wish you all the best in your future adventures hard rock Some more barkleys probably uh john was just saying he's actually never run a straight up 100 miler before so he's a total rookie Oh And I just met another buddy over here. How you doing? Oh good man. Good so On the other end of the spectrum This is your first hundred is your first time to leadville first. Yeah first time both What uh, what's motivating you to be here to take on this challenge? Man, that's a really good question. Uh I don't know A little bit crazy. Um You know, I took a number of years off of You know kind of serious, you know trying to be serious about getting outside and Just got to a point when I Oh, thank you. I appreciate it. I got to a point when I hit 30 where I was like, I'm just kind of sick of the rut I'm in so started to do a few triathlons and Road trail running's been awesome. I don't Really run on the road at all and but you know that feeling of I don't know. It's like 99 miles of some some version of pain and that last mile I see the finish line it's it's just this feeling that Can't be described in words, but It's just incredible, you know, so Can't wait. Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. We're making our way up The sky's opening up. We got some blue sky even It's a beautiful day to be cruising up hope and All the feelings and emotions of the race are coming back and it's getting me really excited for later this August And I know It's gonna be hard I know It's gonna be very very difficult moments but You know, I'm gonna be better prepared And I'm excited when you come into something prepared You have a lot more confidence Last year. I was like, oh, I will see how this goes You know, and I've done enough hard things that I know how to Will myself to a finish line, but It's not the finish I wanted So this year just psyched to be healthy and cruising Looking good looking good So what what kid are you eating here today? Oh watch your feet Burn mud Key lime pie and M&M's Key lime pie M&M's I had no idea there was all these M&M flavors When I got back from the UK, so I've been Running through and sampling them all This one's Near the top for me. You know, if you're not a You know, it's white chocolate. Oh, okay. Look at that. I'm a sucker for that and I've just Added a bit of lime flavor to it It's It's good. All right might be a little strong for some people, but uh Yeah Highly recommended this one right on And that concludes our segment with junk food with John All right, we have popped out Right above treeline This is kind of where the aid station is during the race totally saved me last year. They bring up all the food with mules donkey the alpacas alpacas It's pretty sweet and the view It's pretty incredible. This is the most beautiful part of the course for sure. Have you guys ever been up here before? First time, what do you think? It's pretty spectacular Is this going to be your first leadville? Yeah, what made you want to come out and do this? um It's been a goal with my dad's And he's been hyped me up for the past two years And uh, he's going to come out and crew me and I'm going to run it And it's just going to be a really good time together. Yeah Look at this This is the gift of leadville Oh, this is so beautiful. I love it Man, there's something magical about the mountains Just makes me feel alive and happy and fulfilled Especially when I'm hanging out with buddies Good job everybody We're getting there We're getting close Oh, man It's interesting that the diversity of the root of leadville You know, sometimes you're in the trees in the forest and you pop out Hi Alpine How's everybody doing? Nice job What's up, bud? And the view, believe it or not might even be better Look in this way photo ops. Yeah Why do we do this right there, man? It's right there. That's the reason We get to see really cool stuff. Mother nature is the best Nice job, Bob. High five, man Boom So when you get here in the race, you're really only about halfway about 50 miles You run down the other side of hope pass to a place called windfield Then you come all the way back up and I think coming back up this side Is actually steeper and more difficult and then you run back down And back to leadville. No big deal Hi, surely. How are you? What is sweet doggy chasing marmots? Yeah. Yeah, she's a killer. You'd never know it All right time to head back down It was fun to go up here get a little taste of the land get some miles This weekend up in leadville. I'm gonna spend the rest of the summer. Whoa, Bob Oh my god, I didn't film it. I promise I won't show this to anybody. Anyway Thanks for watching like and subscribe We'll see you in august at leadville. It's gonna be awesome. Whoa, this is a little slippery And this is really the key to long distance running is having a good attitude and smiling a lot And if you slip and fall, that's all right Get back up