Drew Petersen is a professional skier with a running habit. And now that summer running habit has brought Drew to the start line of the Leadville Trail 100. He grew up just north of Leadville in Silverthorne, so running Leadville has been a lifelong dream. This spring, he also spent some time skiing in the Sawatch Range to start to build a relationship with these peaks and the course.

As a skier, he has graced magazine covers, including one of the last covers of the now defunct Powder Magazine, and starred in dozens of award-winning ski films. His writing has appeared in Outside Magazine, Powder Magazine, SKI Magazine, and more publications. Most recently, Drew produced, co-directed, and starred in “Ups and Downs,” a mold-breaking film that mirrors the mountains and valleys of ski touring with his own mental health journey. Within the film he gets raw and vulnerable, talking openly about his struggles with PTSD, biploar disorder, and suicidal ideation. Building on how the film has helped others, Drew is using his platform and opportunities as a professional athlete to change our culture surrounding mental health.

While most folks know him for his skiing, trail running is a core part of his mental health journey and really, who he is as a person. So, in advance of the upcoming Leadville 100, we linked up to talk about what this race means for him.

You can find out more about Drew on his website at: www.drew-petersen.com

If you know someone battling depression and suicide, help them get help. One way is the National Suicide Prevention Hotline 800.273.8255 or online at: www.suicidepreventionlifeline .org