On August 16th, I’ll be running my first ultramarathon. Over the last few months, I’ve been back to distance training; the long runs, the moments of doubt and discomfort — and asking myself: Why am I doing this?

Running an ultramarathon is more than just a personal goal. It’s something you do for a reason bigger than yourself. And for me, this race is dedicated to a cause that hits close to home: The Responder Alliance Foundation.

Responder Alliance is the leading resource in stress resilience education for first responders and outdoor professionals. They provide training that helps people like me — paramedics, guides, wildland firefighters, SAR teams, ski patrol, and others — recognize, prevent, and recover from stress injuries and burnout. Their work is proactive, science-backed, and deeply needed in the fields I work in.

I’m proud to serve both as a first responder and outdoor professional, but I’ve also seen — and personally felt — the toll this work can take. Long shifts. Critical incidents. Physical injury. Moral distress. It adds up. And often, we don’t talk about it. We just push through… until we can’t.

I believe in the mission of the Responder Alliance because they’re changing that narrative. They’re giving us tools to stay healthy and grounded, before it becomes a crisis. They’re building resilience into the culture — and that saves careers, relationships, and lives.

Recently, I listened to one of my favorite podcasts, The Sharp End, which featured an incredible conversation with the founder of Responder Alliance. It reminded me why this matters so much. (If you’re curious, here’s the episode: Spotify link

This ultramarathon will be tough. There will be moments I want to quit and do my best to not. But that’s nothing compared to what many of our responders face every day — often in silence.

So I’m asking you to join me in supporting this cause. Whether it's $5 or $50, every donation helps fund training, outreach, and support for the people who show up when it matters most.

Let’s run this one together — for the responders.