So you didn't get your buckle...
You didn’t finish under 12 hours, which means you didn’t get your buckle. Well you won’t be the first and you definitely won’t be the last. But what happened? Did you underestimate your training, did you think it wouldn’t hurt that bad, did you spend a little too much time at the aid stations or taking selfies, or was it the wrong tires, or nutrition or the altitude? No matter your reason, it stings, it stings real bad! And all you want is for the sting to go away. You want to feel that sense of accomplishment riding up the red carpet and over that finish line. But how?
The Leadville Trail 100 Legacy Foundation’s supporter Eric Grubman knows all about the sting. As soon as he failed to finish the 2018 LT100 MTB under the 12-hour cut off, he was checking his race stats, reviewing his training, assessing his breaks and how long he stopped. He just couldn’t believe that he didn’t make it. And he knew almost immediately, that he would have to try again, but be more dedicated and committed to the cause.
After a few months passed Eric knew he needed a different kind of pressure to help get the “Monkey off his Back”. He started to talk to his network of friends, the ones in high places with capacity to give. He asked them to pledge money to his ride, to benefit the LT100 Legacy Foundation & US Naval Academy. But they only had to pay up if he finished the race in under 12 hours.
And then he trained harder. He talked to other finishers about race day tactics and nutrition and clothing. He used other races to test his pace and mph. And then he toed the start line. Race day conditions were close to perfect and things were looking great in the first 40 miles. The Columbine climb slowed his pace considerably, then came the thunderstorm on the Sugarloaf decent and it looked like everything might unravel.
As he rounded 6th St in the closing miles, his eyes started to well and he could barely see the time on the clock as he rode the red carpet over the finishing line. 11.26:21. He had done it! He got that monkey off his back and immediately the sting was gone! Replaced with a feeling of elation and accomplishment that was almost indescribable. And at the same time he raised over $500,000 for the community based Legacy Foundation with a purpose of giving back to Leadville and to the midshipmen of his own Alma Mater.
If you need some extra pressure and want to set up a fundraiser to benefit the Leadville Trail 100 Legacy, reach out now leadvilletrail100legacy@gmail.com It could be the first step you need to take to get the monkey off your back!
