Episode 86: The Full Circle Moment - Assumptions, Barkley Royalty, and an Unspoken Apology

Take a run with the Human Potential Running Series podcast. In Episode 86, host and HPRS race director John Lacroix goes solo in the studio to announce major show updates—including the move to video—before diving into one of the most unexpected, full-circle stories in his 20-plus years in ultrarunning.

At the 2026 Sheep Mountain Trail Runs, John set up electronic check-in when a legendary name surfaced on the roster: Andrew Thompson. Thompson—a Barkley Marathons finisher, former Appalachian Trail FKT holder, and New Hampshire mountain icon—was also John’s first internet bully two decades earlier, after a public clash on the UltraList over Thompson’s mentor, Sue Johnston.

What followed on race day was an extraordinary confluence of history, grace, and redemption. Andrew arrived in Fairplay, Colorado, with fellow Barkley finishers Brett Maune and Travis Wildeboer to start one final 50-mile race to celebrate his 50th birthday. From a fiery morning pre-race speech to late-day cutoff battles at the aid stations, John recounts what it felt like to support an old rival’s final ultra, learning he was being compared to his own idol, Dr. David Horton, and sitting side-by-side on coolers at the finish line without needing a single word of apology.

In this episode, John reflects on:

• The HPRS Evolution: Expanding to video recording, YouTube, and stepping into the discomfort of being seen.
• The Ghost of 2005: The origins of a 20-year feud, neurodivergence, justice sensitivity, and owning past mistakes.
• Barkley Royalty at Sheep Mountain: Supporting Andrew Thompson, Brett Maune, and Travis Wildeboer through a razor-thin cutoff finish.
• The "Horty" Connection: An unexpected lesson in assumptions and discovering who your idols really are.
• The Unspoken Apology: Why we aren’t owed apologies in this life, how to give grace, and the sacred contents of the little black bag.

Whether you've held a grudge for months or decades, this episode offers a raw, emotional look at maturity, letting bygones be bygones, and discovering that sometimes the best way to say you're sorry is simply to show up and hold space.

Listen or watch now on YouTube, Riverside, and all major podcast platforms, or visit: www.humanpotentialrunning.com