“Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about.” - Brad Metzler

In 2022, I signed up for Summit Push, a trial run for an event at Snowbasin, Utah. Despite being new to endurance events, my passion for hiking pushed me to try. On the day of the race, nerves and excitement swirled as over 200 participants gathered early in the morning, the energy palpable. During the climb, I found myself comparing my progress to others, feeling like an outsider. A moment with Coach Chris reminded me that everyone has their own battles, teaching me that appearances can be deceiving and that empathy is essential.