Andy Wacker is on the show today and it was an honor to talk to one of America's best runners. Andy's resume speaks for itself (his 2021 accolades are listed below and they career's worth of achievements) and easily puts him in the top tier of the country’s best trail runners.
Andy wasn't always the top of his class, however, He was a walk-on at University of Colorado during some of the school’s prime running years. His time in Boulder had some high points but also some struggles. During those down periods he learned to head to the trails. Those forays away from the team would lead to a paradigm shift as a runner that continues to serve him well today.
2021 was an encapsulation of that journey. Here is how Andy wrote about it in an end of the year post on his Instagram feed:

"2021 has been “A JOURNEY”. If I have learned anything, it is to be grateful for the good days. Be optimistic. Positive thinking can take you so far! BELIEVE. You can and will get through even the darkest days. And after all, 2021 was another great year of running!
I represented USA and placed 2nd in the XTERRA Trail World Championships. I placed third at Birkie Trail Half, Broken Arrow 26k and the Golden Gate Trail Classic. I raced some of the best downhills of my life. Ran my first cirque series race. Doubled at GoPro games and won a race at 10,000ft. I ran one of my fastest times for 15k (45:25) on a windy day. ?
I set 14 FKTs: Murphey Loop, Syncline Loop, North Table Mountain, Guana Loop, Marin Headlands, Ralston Creek Trail (out and back), Plymouth Mountain, Mt Audubon, Peak 1, Mount Baldy, Bergen Peak (up and down), Needles Grand Tour.
I ran 28 miles in 6:00 pace at 5,500ft elevation!
But, It hasn’t been all sunshine & rainbows.
I also dealt with pain, injury, frustration, balancing work, race cancellations, sickness and more.
I spent four months without running.
I found new joy biking up mountain roads in Colorado.
So, take nothing for granted. Never give up."
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