Human Powered Movement’s mission is to facilitate greater human powered experiences in all of us. This mission is accomplished in many ways. Our upcoming running event is a perfect example of how we are actively carrying out our mission. Psychoactive: A Last Runner Standing Event is far from your standard neighborhood 5K. We’re a few weeks away from something dynamic, unique, and pretty bad ass for the running community. Another way we facilitate greater human powered experiences is by introducing, educating, and informing people about new ways to get active. Let’s break down what a Last Runner Standing Event is in the first place, and how you can best prepare yourself for a whole new style of running event!

I recently ventured into the world of the 12-hour endurance run.  You know, the kind where you run the same loop over and over at a set start time.  For 12 hours.  For no real apparent reason. Oh, and this race also had a twist, after each loop the lap clock decreased by 9 seconds, so you have to progressively get faster to keep from being eliminated.  Admittedly, my primary motivation in signing up for this race was the t-shirt (who doesn’t want a dinosaur race shirt?) so it’s fair to say I did not fully appreciate this challenge going into it.  It seemed like a fun way to get in a long run with friends on the weekend.  (Spoiler alert I was not the last runner standing so if you’re reading this for race tips no need to read further.)

In my mind, the concept was simple … create the Southeast’s newest Adventure Race by spreading a few checkpoints across an area that is ripe with trails, greenways, historical landmarks, and a navigable river flowing straight through the middle. The simple concept that I drummed up in the fall of 2021 became a reality on April 1 & 2, 2022 and the response absolutely blew my mind.

On September 5, 2020, I joyfully bounded down a ski slope called “Caribou” at Hilltop Ski Area in Anchorage, AK to a round of applause by my wife and a few random bystanders. I had just run another Half Marathon. By crossing the 13.1 miles mark yet again, my goal of running a Half Marathon in all 50 states was officially complete. What started as a simple and impromptu personal challenge a few years out of college turned into a massive multi-year commitment. The perspective gained throughout the experience has permanently changed my outlook on life.