Tony Hofmann, a former U.S. Army colonel, led five active serviceman in a marathon in Leadville, Colo., which is nearly two miles above sea level, with the goal of raising money and awareness for military suicide prevention for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “The team did great,” Hofmann said. “We had our moments. “It’s a grueling marathon.”
The altitude provides for a drastically different running experience, Hofmann said. The race has an eight-hour cutoff, and several other checkpoints runners must reach or else they must stop. Hofmann’s team finished with about 25 minutes to spare.
To get into race condition, Hofmann’s team completed a rigorous 16-week training program. All of a sudden, what had started as a playful idea between Hofmann and his military buddies, but soon developed into a commitment for a cause. At the race’s highest point, called Mosquito Pass, the runners are at an elevation of 13,185 feet, with banks of snow on either side of them. According to data from Veterans Affairs, about 8,000 former military members commit suicide each year, an average of 22 a day. Read More