Take The Leap

MUSINGS FROM A COACH - 21 JANUARY '25

While on the bike trainer last week, I watched a documentary on a young, rising snowboarder star named Lenim Mathias Henriquez on a trip to the snowy mountains of Japan called “Of the Mountains” on Outside TV. Experiencing that type of deep, powdery snow for the first time was an “awakening” for this young athlete. After days of incredible riding conditions, his older mentor and snowboarding superstar, Zeb Powell, said,

“Every once in a while, something happens where you’re like, oh, now my life is different from here on out.”

This quote made me reflect on the power of endurance sports and the potential for such a transformative moment. It brought back a flood of memories from my early Ironman races to Ultra Running to more recent 24-hour and Stage Races on my mountain bike.

Some of these memories were of “breakthrough” performances—doing something I wanted to do but doubted I could achieve. Others were of incredibly low moments, both physically and mentally, that I eventually managed to overcome which seemed impossible at the time.

All these memories are wonderful, but their impact was in the moment. Discovering endurance sports at an older age, while sometimes more physically demanding, has helped me focus acutely on the present. Being open to experiencing the event, regardless of outcome, allowed me to have many of those moments where I realized, “Oh, now my life is different from here on out.”

I am incredibly grateful to the mature and compassionate mentors who guided me into endurance sports, and I am grateful for the joy of living a lifestyle like this.

And whenever I “dare” to sign up for another event that seems daunting and slightly overwhelming, I remember this and know that it’s worth it in the end. So go ahead and take that leap if you haven't!

Gratefully, 

Mark CEO Team MPI