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Guest Q&A: Thomas Lane Read Time: 4 mins  We just hosted/raged at Psychoactive this past weekend and once again, it was one for the absolute ages!! In it's 4th year, this Last Runner Standing Event continues to tip toe the line between a highly competitive running event and a carnival style social event that rivals the best running parties you could dream of. Each year, this community gathering gains more notoriety and draws people from all over the East Coast (2025 saw 10 states represented on the participant list). This year, we introduced a first timer to the Human Powered Movement community and he made quite the impact on me personally, and the rest of the psychotic field. Originally from Long Island, NY and now living in Charleston, SC, Thomas Lane heard of Psychoactive and decided to throw his hat into the psychotic ring. He showed up with a small cooler, a camp chair and an open mind to see how things would unfold. Little did he know what kind of day and community he would be treated to. Beyond his incredible 60 mile performance which positioned him as the final DNFer (Did Not Finish ... AKA: 2nd Place), there were 2 things that immediately stood out to me as the RD and Head Enabler of HPM
 Question: Before we get into the juicy details of your first Psychoactive experience, share with the readers a little about yourself ... Where are you from? How old are you? How did you get into running? Answer: I'm a 21-year-old working on addiction research at Medical University of SC (MUSC). This February I was offered a job in Charleston and thought it would be a nice change of pace compared to Long Island, NY where I grew up. As far as running goes, I've always really enjoyed it. In HS I fell in love with cross country, but I always wanted to race something longer than a 5k. When I first heard about ultras, I was totally captivated with the concept of pushing your body to such a limit and knew I had to start racing them.  Question: How did you hear about Psychoactive and why was the environmental focus such a draw for you? Answer: I was scoping out races on UltraSignUp when I stumbled upon Psychoactive. The whole event had a ton of personality to it, seeming more like a festival than a race. All the videos and photos I came across looked like so much fun, while the running remained a true challenge. On top of an otherwise fantastic race, the environmental initiatives that HPM baked into the event were the cherry on top for me. Along with ultrarunning, sustainable practices started creeping into my life these past few years. The more time that I spend outdoors running or hiking, the more obligated I feel to protect, nurture, and advocate for the ecosystem around us. From conservation projects to recycled clothing, HPM obviously cares about setting a good example for other running events to follow. When it came to choosing my next race, Psychoactive had everything I wanted and then some. Editor's Note: We obviously put a ton of time, effort and dollars into creating this environmentally friendly approach to do our part in making this eco-approach the standard and not the exception in the active endurance space. You can do your part by letting other races know how important this is to you as the participant and the human that pays registration fees. Vote with your dollar!  Question: Did you have any clue what you were getting into when you woke up at 3am and drove from Charleston the morning of the event? Answer: Oh man, that morning was rough! After crawling out of bed and starting the bleak 3.5-hour drive to Huntersville, I guzzled 2 cups of black coffee and blasted some Metallica in a futile attempt to drown out that inevitable pre-race self-doubt I always seem to get. Even though I was nervous I couldn't help but laugh at myself for such a dumb idea; despite pulling off the early start, I definitely won't be trying it again any time soon!  Question: You mentioned that this was only your 4th running event ever. A wild way to kick things off huh? What was the biggest lesson or surprise now that you've had a few days to decompress? Answer: Hands down, the best take away I had from this race was learning how nice it was to share miles with great people. In my personal life the only times I've gotten to meet other runners were at the start of races (when everyone is too nervous to talk) or when you're passing them on the trail (when they're too annoyed to talk). Once you cross that finish line most people leave right away, understandably since we're all exhausted, but it definitely contributes to this isolating feeling I experience in the sport of trail running. I've left some races with a hollowness which may come from not having that chance to talk to other runners, a hollowness even more prevalent when you're doing the crazier mileage that your extended family and colleagues at work can't relate to ("You're doing that, for FUN?!?"). What was so great and unique about the Psychoactive format and the great vibes everyone brought was that I could meet a new, like-minded, person on almost every lap; either when we were all packed together on the short climbs or while leaving the starting corral. In my experience, when there isn't that fellow racer to talk to, or a running community to be a part of, the sport I love can lose its appeal and starts to push me away. Maybe I'm far off base with this concept, but regardless I'd like to thank everyone at Psychoactive and the entire HPM community who I got to talk and run with, even if only for a brief moment, because to me that's what made this event so special.  Question: Would you do anything differently next time? Answer: Some might say I could've been more, uh, "reserved" when it came to expending unnecessary energy ... Yeah, I caught some well-deserved flak for skipping and dancing into the last half mile of lap, what was it, 28? But to be honest, whether I was skipping or not, it was super hard for me to hold back my pace when dozens of people are cheering you on for miles and miles. Throughout the whole race the energy was absolutely awesome and it really kept me going!  Question: Clearly there was a ton of shenanigans going on throughout the day ... costumes, confetti cannons, Icy Pops, Running Chickens, Swim Caps, Beer Laps, etc ... What was the most memorable part for you? Answer: By far my favorite thing to watch was all of the runners clutching chickens and trying to keep up their lap pace. I don't think I'll ever have the skills to keep a ball of feathers with talons wrapped up in a towel while weaving around trees! I also need to give an honorable mention to the icy pops, they were so much better than I thought they were going to be. Getting handed a stick of ice while getting baked by the sun was just the thing I needed to keep running. Question: Now that you've had your first taste of the HPM vibe and community ... what would you share with others that aren't familiar with us or that are potentially on the fence about joining in on the action? Answer: If you're thinking about signing up for one of HPM's events but haven't yet, what are you waiting for??? I loved every hour of the Saturday I spent running in circles! Even if you have to drive 200 miles across state borders by yourself, you're going to meet a welcoming group of people who will want to see you succeed!
 Journal - The Final DNFerComments are closed.
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