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 retired colonel Tony Hoffman. Not only has he towed that line in the Leadville 100, he has also taken his mission further by starting a team of veterans to go against veteran suicide.

To kick off the conversation, Cole asks Tony to share how Leadville found him. He first learned about Leadville in 1995 when he was stationed in the military and visited the town of Leadville. However, the race didn’t really find him until 2013 when he chose to take the plunge and participate in the Leadville 100 run. Through this and other subsequent races, he gained a newfound appreciation for all of Leadville’s history. His view regarding his personal marathon completion is quality over quantity.

Shifting gears, Tony discusses his career in the service. He initially enlisted for only two years with the plan to later attend college, but was accepted to the U.S. Military Academy and received deployment from his home state of Minnesota. He summarizes the privilege it was to serve and the discipline aspect of the job, which circles back into running. Marathoning, which Tony began in 1990, has always been a constant stress reliever and dedication for him. The idea for the veteran running team came about over a few beers with his military colleagues to challenge each other to partake in marathons. The first team consisted of 7 people and was completed as a team who raised $7500 to fight against the veteran suicide epidemic. In 2016, they linked up with the Kansas City nonprofit Warriors Ascent who helps veterans and first responders overcome PTSD through a 5 day program. The team will enter its 8th year of raising money for the non-profit at the Leadville race. To date, they have raised $282,000.

Tony has written two books around his Leadville race experiences: Embracing Grit and Embracing Teamwork and Grit. They contain tips for listeners for conquering the Leadville 100 and chronicle the formation of Team Leadville and their mission of stopping veteran suicide. He shares advice for being successful as an athlete, what his nutrition plan looks like during the race, which equals 2,500 calories per hour, and the key pieces of gear. Finally, he shares what comes to mind when he hears the word Leadville.

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