Tony Hofmann: Team Leadville and the Race to Save Veteran LivesTony Hofmann: Team Leadville and the Race to Save Veteran Lives
Struggle Well Podcast
Retired Army Colonel and marathoner Tony Hofmann shares how Team Leadville uses a gruelling high‑altitude race to raise money for veteran suicide prevention and support post‑traumatic growth. The conversation blends his military story, family involvement, and the transformative power of endurance running into a candid look at purpose after struggle.
57:30•17 Jun 2026
Running to the Edge: How Team Leadville Fights Veteran Suicide
Episode Overview
- Challenging physical goals like marathons can shift beliefs about what’s possible in life and carry over into other areas of recovery.
- Team Leadville shows how a small, grassroots idea can grow into a long‑term effort that raises significant funds and supports hundreds of veterans.
- Non‑veteran participants gain a deeper understanding of veteran suicide and become stronger advocates for mental health support.
- Family and community support play a crucial role in sustaining both long military careers and demanding recovery‑focused projects.
- Choosing a tough environment such as high‑altitude Leadville reinforces themes of endurance, teamwork, and grit that mirror the veteran healing journey.
“I believe the marathon and the work necessary and the dedication to train up right for a marathon can transform into other aspects of your life.”
What makes a recovery story truly inspiring? For many, it’s hearing how someone channels hardship into something that actively saves lives, and that’s exactly the kind of energy you’ll get from this conversation with retired Army Colonel and runner, Tony Hofmann. The episode centres on Team Leadville, a high‑altitude, all‑volunteer running team with a clear mission: to stop veteran and first responder suicide.
Tony explains how a casual challenge over dinner turned into a yearly effort that runs the brutal Leadville Trail Marathon and Heavy Half in Colorado’s highest incorporated city. Since 2015, the team has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and, as Tony puts it, “saved over 400 lives.” You’ll hear Tony share his journey from a small town in rural Minnesota to a 26‑year Army career, including Ranger School, combat tours, and leading major disaster responses with the U.S.
He links that experience to his life as a “professional enthusiast” marathoner, with 57 marathons under his belt and a deep belief that “the marathon and the work necessary and the dedication to train up right for a marathon can transform into other aspects of your life.” A big theme here is post‑traumatic growth: Tony is clear that he’s not a mental health expert, but he sees Team Leadville as a way to fund proven programmes for veterans while giving runners their own demanding “hero’s journey” up to 13,185 feet.
Army Corps of Engineers. The family element adds warmth and humour – his wife and kids have all been involved, his sister and brother‑in‑law host the team, and he jokes about teenage legs making Leadville “not that hard.” This episode suits anyone interested in recovery, purpose beyond pain, or how physical challenge can support healing. It might have you asking yourself: what tough goal could help you turn your own struggle into strength?
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