Between us, we've raced at every pace — front of the pack, middle of the pack, back of the pack, and the back of the back. We've chased podiums. We've set state records. And we've fought just to finish before the clock ran out.

We've struggled alone in the dark, mid-race, and contemplated quitting. Not because our legs failed. Because our friction plan did.

As runners. As race directors. As volunteers at aid stations — we've watched strong athletes limp in bow-legged, wrecked, questioning their race. We knew what they were feeling. We'd felt it ourselves.

So we looked at every fix the endurance world had been borrowing. None of it was built for the way the sport is actually run.