In June, I was volunteering at the Resurrection Aid Station at the Leadville Marathon and Heavy Half, and noticed a couple of groups running together wearing neon green shirts that said Team Leadville and STOP Veteran Suicide, which immediately drew my interest. Never one not to initiate a conversation, I chatted with a few of them – not holding them up from continuing their mission to complete their races – but long enough to learn they were supporting an organization called Warriors Ascent that assists veterans to overcome Post-Traumatic Stress. They also told me that I needed to talk to the guy who put all of this together, Tony Hofmann. As it turns out, Tony is quite the energetic, dynamic leader, and definitely a motivating force behind the Team Leadville group. A retired colonel, West Point graduate, and Army Ranger, Tony has completed the Boston Marathon 13 times and the Leadville Trail 100, among many other tests of stamina. He is a district commander in the Army Corps of Engineers, and led their efforts to rebuild Joplin, Mo. following its devastating tornado in 2012, which was complicated by unprecedented flooding of the Missouri River. He has also authored two books, “Embracing Grit” with a foreward by Leadville 100 founder Ken Chlouber, and “Endurance, Teamwork and Grit” that are great reads for anyone seeking the inspiration to dig deep to achieve their goals, and to learn about the history of Team Leadville’s efforts to improve the lives of veterans. He defines grit as putting yourself on a personal journey to do something you thought might be out of reach, devoting the necessary time and effort to prepare for it, but not knowing what the result might be. That certainly characterizes going for any goal, whether athletic, career, self-improvement, etc., doesn’t it? His overarching message is that anyone can achieve meaningful goals even in a busy life balancing family, work, and more. Ken says that Tony is the “real deal,” and I think you’ll find that true listening to him in this episode. I am so glad I took the time to talk to those Team Leadville warriors at Resurrection because it led me to get to know this remarkable man, and I’m going to be very proud to wear their shirt when I’m running the Leadville Trail 100 myself in a few weeks. I hope that you get a lot out of this inspirational conversation and also just enjoy listening to him.

Tony Hofmann
www.tonyhofmanngrit.com
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Instagram @thofmanngrit
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Bill Stahl
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