As I got out of the vehicle and started to walk down 6th street towards the finish line last August, my greatest fear had become my reality. I did not finish. As much pleading my wife, dad, and camera crew did with the volunteer at Carter’s Summit, my race ended 13 miles before the finish line in Leadville. Ok… greatest fear is a stretch. Let’s rewind.

At the end of February 2025 I accepted an opportunity to be a part of the From The Ground Up Project. Alexey Vermeulen, a pro bike riding, wiener dog loving, all around good guy, started a project that takes novice riders and trains them from March-August to take on the Leadville Trail 100 MTB. Cool? Absolutely. Audacious? You bet. Crazy? Without a doubt.

Along with the countless sponsors that made it possible, Boundless Coaching was a key piece to even giving me a shot at finishing this thing. Because from day one, my goal was to finish.

I apologize often to David Hettena, because I am convinced, I am his most needy athlete. And as Coach David does, he meets me exactly where I am at – which is often leaning more towards meltdown than confidence. I should say this, because not everyone has the time to go watch a YouTube series: Being on a bike saved my life.

2023 was a valley moment of my mental health journey, as mental health always is a roller coaster. I remember looking at my wife in a restaurant in Kansas on our way back from a vacation in Colorado, that sometimes I think it would be better for everyone if I weren’t around anymore. Enter bikes. It was the only thing that I could do and just forget for a while, be a kid again, go real fast and fall in a creek… it became vital to my well being. So what could go wrong with signing up for an impossible task (training for Leadville in four months from the ground up) with a person who already is just an anxious wreck getting out of bed in the morning? Seems like a match made it heaven. Right?

Enter the angel I mentioned above, David, and the entire Boundless crew. One of the sneakiest things about training for an endurance event is how alone you really are… like most of the time. Hours and hours go into crafting the best numbers you can see on a bike computer or your Garmin watch, in hopes that those numbers will translate to a perfect race day (and it doesn’t always). You are lonely a lot. Training a lot.

Something about being a Boundless athlete is I never felt like I was alone. Someone from Boundless was always there. Sydney gassing me up on social media. Ryan climbing up St. Kevin’s during camp when I realized what I had really gotten myself into. David obviously being my coach. AJ for constantly checking in throughout the summer and becoming a friend. Scott for seeing me after crashing out of camp and riding up the Boulevard and actually giving me the grit to continue on. Boundless. Was. Always. There.

And that’s the secret isn’t it? You’re never truly alone. Part of these crazy races and insane mileage we all put ourselves through, is that we each have our reason why. We each have that village that is sold out to helping us achieve our goals. And one of the best parts of being a part of these spaces is looking your greatest fear in the face and going as fast as your pace allows you into the belly of the beast. Sometimes it’s trying to do the impossible, because you could never imagine who you'll become on the other side.

We love the phrase, “I can do hard things.” But a teammate shifted that vision for me amid my brain and bike not connecting well last summer, “We all have to do hard things. But hard things don’t last”.

So what does a Leadville DNF-er do in the wake of a disappointing race? Well… the realization that this had nothing to do with the finish line at all – and what I missed out on in a buckle and medal… And finisher hoodie (that might be the one that stings the most), I gained tenfold in the people. A wife that supports my craziness, and loves me far more than I deserve. Two kids that care more about being outside than they do just about anything else. A coach that I trust whole heartedly, because he is more of a friend than a coach. Especially when I asked him to get me ready for the Midsouth Double. A friend and now boss in Ryan who creates space for people to tackle the impossible and lets me be a part of that same vision. A teammate who was a stranger but is now like family. A pro cyclist who wins races on the highest level, but cares deeply about the silly things I am trying to do on a bike. A camera man who now is my go to Instagram dm for any meme I think is funny. An older brother and sister than I never knew I wanted, or needed.

Not finishing Leadville changed my life… How can you not be romantic about endurance sports?

And for what its worth – on August 15th , 2026. I’m going to get that buckle.

To my village, to whom I do it for and couldn’t do it without: Alexis, Davey, Etta, G, Brandilee, Lou, Alexey, Avery, Ryan, David, AJ… Thank you.

– Caleb DeRoin