Tune in here to this episode of Grits, Guts, and Determination, The Leadville Race Series Podcast, a leading authority for all things Leadville! Host Cole Chlouber, son of race founder Ken Chlouber, takes us on a story-telling journey of the 38-year rich history of this race. We learn all the tips, tricks, and stories from the Leadville community members! Joining us today is Former Texas Longhorn Snapper Nate Boyer. No stranger to hard work, Nate was a walk on for the Texas Longhorns in 2010. Prior to that, he went from chasing a Hollywood career to a military one, where he served tours both in Iraq and Afghanistan as a green beret. In Cole’s mind, all of these things have prepared him for one thing: Leadville.

Today’s guest has definitely been found by Leadville, but he doesn’t quite yet know what that means. Though football was his favorite sport, Nate bever actually played growing up. He attended firefighting school after high school, but moved to Los Angeles at 19. 9/11, he reveals, is the event which opened his eyes to the rest of the world and sent him traveling to different countries for the first time. The humanitarian side of the Army’s special forces spoke to Nate as he geared up to go overseas as a green beret at 24 years old. He shares about the grueling nature of the life of the deployed and that watching football is what ultimately got him through.

Next, Nate shares about his accomplishment of becoming a walk on for the Texas Longhorns. After leaving the military, he felt it was time to finally attend college and enrolled at the University of Texas. As he regretted not playing football in high school he made a pact with himself to try out for the team. He transitioned to long snapper during his sophomore year. Though the coaches initially never expected he would get playtime, Nate started 30 games during his 3 years of long snapper.

Then, Nate dives in to discussing his next feat of taking on the Leadville Trail 100 foot race. For him, trail running is a form of meditation that allows him to unplug and find his zen. Long distance trail runs and training for them give you the opportunity to take in the world in a whole new way . Nate adds that it also offers an escape from the chaos of the world. Spending time alone in nature, on the trail, is a rewarding experience. Though he found out he wasn't going to be able to make it to the race this year, he is still training consistently on trails around Los Angeles. Finally, he speaks of the importance of having supportive people around you who you can trust to cheer you on.

Thanks for tuning in! Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe, and we hope to see you on the line in August!