Over the last few months, the amount of correspondence HPRS receives has increased above the norm. We’ve shared some of the correspondence we’ve shared as of late as pertains to our policy update on Gender Identity; and the one’s we’ve shared highlight an ugly truth that lies behind the scenes in the sport of ultra.. that not all runners are the community focused individuals this sport has celebrated as being home to. That said, it would be a disservice to our community if we didn’t also share the good natured emails we’ve received as of late. These emails come from runners just like you, who truly understand what makes HPRS different, and the strides we’re making to create a more inclusive and accessible sport. Here are a few comments we’ve received as of late:
• “I just wanted to say thank you for your continued support of the ultra community. I was very active in ultra sports for about 10yrs and then I had to rebalance my family life from my racing life. During that period, I continued to be active but didn’t compete anymore. I longed for the adventure that ultra athletics provided but wasn’t conditioned mentally/physically to do what I use to. In an attempt to touch some of those mental boundaries again, I decided to sign up for a 50M. I wanted something at elevation, with fun climbs and intimate. The Last Call race checked all those boxes and it was even better that it was only 1 1/2hrs away. So I signed up for the race. I know my body and I knew that I wasn’t conditioned for the race but I wanted to mentally feel it again. So I didn’t care that I was out of shape or might risk missing a cutoff, I wanted to feel the adventure again. You’re speech before the start was spot on and echoed my exact feeling. People tend to over complicate the simplest activities. At that moment, I knew I was exactly where I needed to be and surrounded by the right people. During that race, your volunteers selflessly helped me the entire way. You personally, sleep deprived and all took the time to interact with the athletes and that made a big impact on me. When I got home, my wife asked how the run was and I said that I was exactly where I needed to be and said how much I respected your perspective on athletics. So I signed up for the Sheep Mnt run and it surpassed my previous experience. It really shows that you are a genuine ambassador of the true meaning of ultras and you care about every runner out there. The best part of the run, apart from the amazing climbs, was chatting with you on the road right before the finish. After already running for 10hrs, you still were looking after your athletes. Running/athletics is never about us, it’s so much bigger and you get that. So I just wanted to say thank you John for providing this special place for people to grow. It was exactly what I needed, when I needed it! I’ll see you again either as a runner or a volunteer because I support what you are doing and want to see it continue! Best of luck and stay safe.”
– Jake H.
• “I know it takes a huge amount of effort to put on a race, but that is kind of true for almost all big races. The thing that I’m really the most impressed with is the philosophy that you share. For me and Dean this wasn’t really a race in the normal sense of the word. This was a shared experience that we will never forget. It was all about helping each other get through it, taking time to talk with the volunteers, and enjoying the day. I’m not a great athlete by any stretch of the imagination, but I can be very competitive at times. Sometimes that’s good, but this was not the time for that. The attitude you shared really helped me to keep things in perspective and focus on what was really important. So thank you for that!
Back in Wisconsin one of my passions is coaching cross country skiing. Every year when a get a new group of kids joining the middle school team, they learn my expectations. I’m a bit of a hard ass about this, and kids that don’t meet those expectations hear about it from me and from their teammates. Those expectations are as follows:
1) Be a fierce but friendly competitor. I expect the kids to do their best at every race, but I also expect them to cheer on not only their teammates but also for everyone else.
2) Show appreciation. At every race, every kids is expected to thank one of their coaches, thank at least one race volunteer, and thank their parents.
3) Have fun. That’s why we are doing it!
Often new kids ask about being fast, doing well at races, or even winning? I have to explain that winning is fine, but it’s not really what I most care about. The kids, coaches, and parents have really embraced this philosophy, and we have a really fun team. And the funny thing is that when you don’t worry about winning, the results just seem to take care of themselves. Last year we had the best team in the state.
The reason I’m so passionate about ski coaching really has nothing to do with skiing. It is my opportunity to have a positive influence for the kids on the team. Every kid has their own unique challenges. I do my best to provide them a safe and supportive place to get some exercise and build confidence, learn some life lessons, and be surrounded by people who care about them. For some kids this might make a big difference in their lives, for others maybe not so much. I don’t really need to know who I’m really helping or in what way. I see a similar situation with your races. Some people who are running are just good athletes who enjoy racing, but many others are dealing with difficult things. Signing up for a challenging race gives them something to focus on and can build confidence and give a sense of accomplishment. I’m sure you are helping people in ways you will never understand.
I’m sorry if this is a bit long winded and philosophical, but I really care about this stuff. So to wrap it up……….Thank you once again for all that you do! I had a great time and hope to be back next summer.”
– Dave H.
• “I’ve ran a few of your races over the last several years and loved the community feel of them. I participated in the Virtual Pandemic series last April and had a blast. My girls (ages 6 and 9) would often ride their bikes while I ran, and they had lots of fun helping me find the scavenger hunt items. Your January run streak challenge this year set me up for a very consistent 6 months of running. And I have a goal to one day run one of your longer races.
More recently I’ve witnessed your efforts around transgender inclusion and want to share my support. It’s a risk to take a stance when there could be a business impact, but you didn’t shy away from doing what’s right.
More than anything, though, I see how much you value community and connection. This sets you apart from other race series.”
-Laura W
• “Hi John and HPRS folks –
Just wanted to say thank you for the podcast.
I have been in the sport since 2006, but recently took a bit of a break. I am also a coach, (work with about 40 athletes currently) and am clearly aware of your events as many of the athletes I work with participate in your events.
Anyway.. recently started listening to your podcast and just want to say thank you. Not sure that I 100% agree with every statement :).. but it is so refreshing to have someone willing to take on the hard topics, and the behind-the-scenes look at race directing.
So – KEEP THE PODCASTS COMING and thank you! I look forward to crossing paths with you on the trails… “
-Duncan C.
• “What a tremendous event the Sheep Mountain 50M is! From the top down, the entire day went flawlessly – kudos to John and the Human Potential team. Tremendous management (e.g., pre-race meeting, explanation of how the day would unfold, what was needed from participants, etc.), top notch aid stations and volunteers, very well marked trail, unbelievably beautiful scenery, and exceptionally cool scene (very laid back – but professional, particularly given what a challenging day it would be for the participants). Being from the midwest, I knew the mountains and altitude would be particularly challenging – and they were. That only made the end product more rewarding. I highly recommend this event to anyone who is interested to push their limits and enjoy an entire day in the beautiful San Juan mountain range. Human Potential/John is really on to something here with the environment that they are promoting. It hits on everything that draws me to the ultra scene – below the radar, laid back, focus on the individual participant testing their limits and enjoying an extraordinary day in the mountains. I hope to be back in the future at this event or another Human Potential one.”
-Rich O.
There are stories in the ultra community about HPRS from folks who ran here 5+ years ago and not since, and from folks who have never run here at all. What we’ve shared above is a very small collection of stories from those who actually have and do run with us at HPRS, and recent voices. These voices have been getting louder and more frequent over the last 2 years and we always appreciate when a runner helps us see that our mission and vision is working for our community. No, we’re not for everyone… but the people who we are for, are here.
We have heard many stories about race organizers all across the country being the recipients of a host of negative, slanderous, threatening, and down right mean correspondence from runners. In a day in age where our world is so divided, it really is nice to hear from our tribe what we’re getting right, and not just what we’re missing the mark on. Truth be told, complaints always outnumber praise regardless of what business someone is in. “I’m going to write a review” is seldom the initiative one intends to take when everything went smoothly. This is to say that when we get correspondence like what we’ve shared above… “appreciated” is too trite a word to describe how it makes us feel.
So to those who have taken the time to write us, to those who just wanted to say thanks or “Good job,” THANK YOU.
