Back to Where It Started

PC: Smith Optics

I just finished my first 50-miler. I’m still sitting with it—what it taught me, what it took out of me, and what it gave back. But watching this film reminded me why I signed up in the first place.

Anton Krupicka’s return to Leadville in 2021 wasn’t a clean arc. It was messy. Human. And deeply familiar if you’ve ever had to fight your way back from injury, doubt, or time itself. The film doesn’t dress it up. It just shows you what it looks like to keep going, even when you’re not sure what’s left in the tank.

He talks about his early days, his identity, how Leadville was the first place he felt like the miles actually meant something. And even now—years later, carrying scar tissue and expectation—he’s still chasing that feeling.

This lit the fire for me. Leadville feels a long way off right now, but it’s on my mind.