I'm running 12 hours on the treadmill at a local Life Time tomorrow, Saturday, as a fundraiser for the Life Time Foundation. As an LTF Athlete, I've committed to raising $2800 as I train for the upcoming Leadville 100 in August.

Not only will this be a brilliant way to practice mindset leading up to the 100 miler, it will also be a testament of community, connection, and choosing to receive love & support.

But, why the treadmill? Why Life Time and that location? Why 12 hours?

Everyone seems to want to know, and I'm happy to share.

First, why the treadmill. Many have reminded me: It's a pain in the ass. It slows down time, it's not the trail, it's so public, it's a torture device. But, these are not big enough thoughts or reasons for me. I choose the treadmill so that I can challenge my mind in a new way; so I can be in the midst of the coming-and-goings of people in their days & workouts. I want to be inspired by all the fitness taking place around me and I want to actively inspire, too. A treadmill gives me a place to "stay put" as I move forward, allowing many others to join me on the adjacent machines.

That brings me to the location. Life Time is not just where I coach most of my clients, it's the facility that has supported my physical health for 5 years now. It's where I've thrown around weights and ran on the treadie and taken classes. It's where I've recovered with yin yoga and Normatec boots and the steam room & sauna. It's where I've trained for big and small events, and created a sense of normalcy to my ever-expanding life.

Getting on a treadmill for 12 Hours there means I am spending a whole day somewhere I am comfortable, supported, and means something to me.

Now, why 12 hours? In my current mind space, 12 hours doesn't strike me as "forever," or too painfully out-of-reach. It feels accessible, yet hard. Do-able, yet challenging. There are now four years under my shoes of ultrarunning experience, with my first ever almost-30-miler taking place in September 2021. My body has gone for 28 hours at Leadville, 15 hours at Pikes Peak, 17 hours at a backyard ultra, and another 14 hours at the Hell Creek 100k, among many other 5-6 hour 50k and marathon adventures. My body and mind have been in this before, in some capacity. Training began 5 years ago.

I've also had the privilege of meeting ultrarunners who have taken on extraordinary feats. From running across the country, to tackling multiple 200 mile races in a year, to running 24 hours for the Life Time Foundation and setting world record 100 milers on treadmills! This feat is inspired by the magnitude of these runners who have come before me. They've helped me reach a bit farther and push the envelope further on what I could accomplish.

But truly, 12 is an important number to me. I am one of 12, the middle child of a dozen children from Western Massachusetts. Each hour that I run, I intend to bring to mind one of my siblings and my nieces/nephews/niblings (a nibling is the non-gendered term for niece/nephew, fyi). This will be part of my fueling strategy, just not in the ways we usually think about fuel aka nutrition.

This is my super fuel. Love is my super fuel. Every hour, a sibling and their family. My reminder that I come from a place of love. That I am love. And that each painful mile can be done with that love in my back pocket. All to raise money for a cause that I deeply believe in, jive with, and want to encourage others to jump in on, too. The Life Time Foundation helps the adults of tomorrow -- kids of today -- access movement programming, eat nutritiously at their schools, and grow & play in the healing power of trees on a healthy planet. If these kids get what they need NOW, they can better impact the future in healthy, vibrant ways!

And on the topic of 12: it was 12 years ago (almost) that I ran my first ever marathon in Houston. Pretty great timing. A lot has changed in 12 years time. Then, I was working for Skechers Performance as a Sales Rep, running purely on the roads, and living in New York City. Now, I am a MindCoach at Life Time, I run on all terrain and have balanced my training approach, and I live in the marvelous Minneapolis (with many a visit to Colorado).

If you want to support the cause, here is all the information to do so.

Love,

Barbara

INFO:

On June 14th, I'm running on a treadmill at Life Time Edina for 12 hours straight — from 7 AM to 7 PM — and no, I’m not just doing it for the miles. I’m doing it for the millions of kids who deserve better access to healthy food, more opportunities to move, and a healthier planet to grow up on.

As I train for the Leadville 100 Trail Run this August, I’m also raising funds and awareness for Life Time Foundation. This organization is shaping a healthier future by providing school food leaders with necessary resources needed to remove ingredients of concern from school meals, supporting initiatives that get kids moving for life, and protecting the one place we all call home: Planet Earth.

If you believe in supporting the health of the next generation, join me:

💚 Learn more and donate: Barbara Runs the Leadville 100: The Sequel!'s fundraising page for Life Time Foundation

👟 Sign up for a treadmill time slot and run beside me: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080F48ADAB28A4FB6-56978960-runwith