Purpose in the Mountains

PC: Andy Cochrane

Before the wins, there was the work.

This short film by Billy Yang turns the lens on Hayden Hawks, tracing the arc from a kid in southern Utah chasing ball sports to one of the defining ultrarunners of his generation.

The resume is there. Speedgoat breakthrough. Victories at CCC and Lavaredo. Podiums on the biggest stages in the sport. But the film is less about results and more about why he keeps lining up.

Hayden talks openly about competition. He loves it. He wants to be prepared to push against the best in the world. That drive was built early, working long, hot days alongside his dad, learning how to show up and do hard things without complaint. Running became the place where that work ethic finally fit.

There is also clarity about the cost. High mileage weeks. Hard workouts stacked on top of travel. Time away from home. He speaks about his wife Ashley with the kind of respect that makes it clear none of this happens alone. The wins are shared.

And then there is the long view. The race that still sits out front—Western States 100. A goal he keeps returning to.

This is a portrait of an athlete who knows what he wants and is willing to build his life around it. No theatrics. Just purpose, discipline, and a love for the mountains that started long before the podiums.

Watch the film.