The Why & The Allure 100 Friends + 100 Miles

The Why & The Allure

Thank you for joining me on the 100 Friends for 100 Miles campaign. The goal for 100 Friends for 100 Miles is to encourage runners to utilize the allure, gravity, and intrigue of running 100 miles to bring awareness and betterment to their local communities.

Why run 100 miles? It’s a question that generates a personal answer.

For me, the journey began in 2006, when I was introduced to ultra-running through a dear friend and mentor. He described the ultra-running distances and adventures he had completed. The most interesting race he described was the famed Leadville 100, known as the “Race Across the Sky.” The mere thought of attempting a task of this magnitude seemed too daunting. After digesting what he had done, I believed I would not and could not ever do that. But when those words came out, deep down I felt a “what if” feeling and at that moment a seed began to grow.

By 2018, a hefty twelve years had passed since learning of the 100 mile racing distance. I had done several Ironman distance triathlons and road marathons. It was time to toe the line at Leadville. It was a magnificent day. I earned a coveted belt buckle and completed the course under the cutoff time of 30 hours. I was paced, crewed, and supported by friends and family who braved the night in freezing rain and cold to run, crew, and provide soul-lifting support to get me to the finish. 28 Hours and 46 minutes later, I was able to go “buckle shopping” and had completed the 100 mile distance.

Since running the Leadville 100 in 2018, I have completed the following 100 mile races:

    • Rocky Raccoon 100 (2019)
    • Bighorn 100 (2019)
    • Silverton Ultra 100 (2021)
    • Completed Leadville’s Leadman Series (2022)
    • Rocky Raccoon 100 (2024)
    • Leadville 100 (2024) – Special Olympics
    • Leadville 100 (2025) – Special Olympics

Bighorn was the first year we held a “100 Friends for 100 Miles” campaign and Bighorn gave me over 30 hours on my feet. At the beginning of 2024 we had raised over $60,000.00 for charitable causes through the 100 Friends campaigns. In 2024 alone, we raised $60,000 for Special Olympics New Mexico. 100 Friends for 100 Miles has now raised $120,000 to date!  In 2025 we concentrated on a raise for Special Olympics New Mexico’s journey to the US National Games and Minnesota.  We raised over $83,000.00.  We are now over $200,000 in total raised!

There are two things that are bound to happen during a 100 mile effort. First: It is not if but when your race plan will far apart and things won’t go as planned. It ain’t going to happen like you want, no matter how thorough the preparation is. Second: You are certain to encounter physical pain, self-doubt, sleep deprived fatigue, and a desire to just quit and have it all stop. These things become external and internal for the runner. But with the darkness, so follows the light. You embrace the meaning of a day and its full cycle – every second of it. Time seems to evaporate around you and all that exists is the task at hand – the now. These are lessons of life itself. All of this becomes condensed into a 30 hour period (more or less) and you are given the opportunity to live and thrive. These moments are when you learn that “this too shall pass” and your awareness is heightened in many ways. For these reasons, I run ultra.

The Ask Run It Back 2026

The 2026 Ask

2026 Campaign Ask

100 Friends for 100 Miles is back and growing! This year gets two one hundred mile efforts and two chances for you to stand behind Special Olympics New Mexico. We may also be making history.

August 22 — Leadville. Ivo Kunzle and I toe the line at the Leadville Trail 100 in the Colorado Rockies. For me it’s a run at a fifth finish. This year’s course is modified due to recent fires. Ivo will be pursuing his first Leadman -IFYKYK. Leadman is finishing all Leadville race events within the same year. Leadville has a way of stripping everything down to one question, will you keep going? Knowing 100 friends are behind us, that question is an easy one.  It’s time to get gritty.

October 31 — Javelina. Ben Blewett, Special Olympics Athlete, takes on the Javelina Jundred outside Fountain Hills, Arizona. One hundred miles, five loops through the desert, Halloween night, headlamp on. Ben will be aiming to become the first Special Olympic Athlete to run 100 Miles!

Dollars raised this year go to the Northern New Mexico Chapters of Special Olympics New Mexico. Athletes of Taos, Peñasco, and Española will be the benefactors. Funds go to everyday costs that keep athletes on the field, on the court, and gaining access to better health education. Funds will also go to one special athlete, Bella Seiberg. Bella has been nominated to represent Special Olympics New Mexico and USA in world games in Chile next year! Let’s go Bella!

2025 Recap

Last year we showed up in a way I still can’t quite believe. The 2025 campaign raised more than $83,000 for Special Olympics New Mexico pushing us past $200,000 across all campaigns to date.

I’ve said before that words fall short here, and they still do. Standing at the State Bowling competition with athletes, coaches, and parents gave me more than I gave. Special Olympics is not a track meet. It’s a conduit. It changes what’s possible for athletes, and it changes everyone standing near them.

Thank you for being part of it. Let’s go again.

The 2026 Campaign The difference we make

The 2026 Campaign

Special Olympics New Mexico

Special Olympics New Mexico provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities (ID), giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. Today, Special Olympics New Mexico serves more than 3,200 athletes, offering training and competition in 11 sports.

In 2024, Adam shared his goal of running the Leadville Trail 100 to benefit Special Olympics programs in rural New Mexico that were struggling to raise funds in under-served areas of our state. Adam’s 100 Friends for 100 Miles campaign involved him running the 100-mile “race across the sky” and asking people to support him by donating to Special Olympics New Mexico. Over the past two years, Adam has far exceeded his goals, raising over $150,000 and bringing many new friends along to help support our mission.

It’s hard to wrap our minds around running 100 miles at a peak elevation of 12,500 feet, but to quote Adam:

“There are two things that are bound to happen during a 100-mile run. First, it is not IF, but WHEN your race plan will fall apart, and things won’t go as you hoped they would. Second, you are certain to encounter physical pain, self-doubt, sleep deprived fatigue, and the desire to just quit, but, with the darkness, so follows the light. These are lessons of life itself. I have been fortunate enough to attend Special Olympics competitions and personally get to know some of our athletes. Our world would be a better place if every human witnessed their resolve and demeanor. Their grit, effort, and determination are the qualities that have inspired me to power though an ultramarathon.”

We continue to be thankful for every step he runs and every dollar he raises.

Christine Hidalgo
CEO, Special Olympics New Mexico

The 2026 goal is to raise $65,000 to support Northern New Mexico Special Olympics teams, as well as sending Bella Seiberg to compete in the World Games in Chile. Your dollars make a difference.