My name is Leif Carlson, and I will be running 400 miles from the boarder of Canada to New York City to raise money for wildland firefighters.
The Run
Empire State Trail
The Empire State Trail Hudson Valley & Champlain Valley segments make up 400miles north to south starting at the Canadian border and finishing at Battery Park City, NYC. I will be attempting to complete this run in 10 days (avg. 40miles per day) and will be accompanied by my dad for the full distance as my support crew.
The Athlete
Leif Carlson
My name is Leif Carlson and this will be my 13th consecutive year participating in high intensity endurance sports. For the last 4 years ultra running grabbed me as the next chapter of sport in my life. Since I started, I have completed a 112mile race around Mt. Manaslu in the Himalayas, an Ironman Triathlon in Lake Placid, NY, a 50mile race through the San Francisco Headlands, and a handful of other 50km/marathon distance races. This sport has provided me with a platform to explore new horizons and push myself to limits I didn't know were possible.
Prior to ultra running, I spent the first 8 years of my athletic career competing in the sport of rowing where I had the chance to race for the USA Junior National Team, Northeastern University, and Marin Rowing Association. These were transformational years of my life that introduced me to the joys of endurance athletics.
The Mission
Wildland Firefighter Foundation
This endeavor is deeply personal. My family has been directly affected by wildfires—we've watched the destruction these fires cause and experienced firsthand the fear and uncertainty they bring to communities.
More importantly, my brother and sister-in-law are wildland firefighters who work daily to defend and protect. We've seen them come home exhausted after 16-hour shifts, worried when fire conditions turned extreme, and celebrated when their crews made it back safely. We've learned first hand about the incredible sacrifices firefighters make— in dangerous conditions, far from their families for weeks or months at a time.
The Wildland Firefighter Foundation's clear mission is to honor, support, and assist wildland firefighters and their families through financial aid, physical and emotional support, advocacy, and community. They work to ensure that no wildland firefighter or their family walks through tragedy or hardship alone.
