Aligned Over Easy

Hey Team!

I’m looking out the window as I write this... rain in the foreground, snow-capped mountains in the distance... and I’m thinking, I thought we were in the clear from winter. What’s up with that? Truthfully, I handle the colder months fairly well. Part of that is probably because I stay focused and productive, but a big part is also that I get to travel quite a bit. Between those two things, winter rarely feels as heavy for me as it seems to for others.

On a more personal note, there’s something I haven’t shared openly yet. A few weeks ago, I made the decision to relinquish my baby girl Coconut to my ex-wife. It was entirely my choice... no pressure, no outside influence. We had been sharing her every couple of weeks, and on the surface it was seamless. But deep down, I knew that for a five-year-old pup, it wasn’t the most sustainable path.

It was an incredibly hard decision. Heartbreaking, honestly. I’ve never loved a dog like I love her. But I also knew it was the right decision. There’s something powerful that happens when you choose what’s right, even when it hurts. There’s peace in it. Strength in it. Alignment in it. And I’ve been reminded that when we make hard decisions by choice, we build resilience in a different kind of way. There may be a vacancy in my home, and in my heart, but I feel deeply at peace with what I chose. It’s a reminder I keep coming back to: listen to that internal compass. Ask yourself... what’s right here? Better yet... what would love do?

This Week’s Shift

It also seems like this is not yet my time to take on a big ultramarathon.

As most of you know, I first applied to Moab 240 and didn’t get in. A few friends had offered in advance to pull some strings and help me get a spot, but I declined. I wanted to go through the standard route. That felt more aligned for me. Then, out of nowhere, my name was strongly recommended to an elite athlete in Switzerland who was planning to race BADWATER SALTON SEA... or at least, he thought he was.

When he approached me, this wasn’t about simply running it. He wanted to win. It took me a few days to really think it through, but eventually I said yes. I was all in. Training ramped up. Logistics started coming together. Brand support was taking shape. All I had to do was register. The race directors had apparently received and accepted his application and payment six months earlier, so we were told it would be simple: have your partner register and include your name. Done.

So on my last evening in NYC a couple of weeks ago, I filled out my application, paid my entry, and figured we were set.

The next morning I woke up to an email that said: Disqualified.

I couldn’t believe it. My first thought was that I must have made a mistake because I’d rushed the application the night before. But after a lot of digging and back-and-forth, it turned out it wasn’t me. My partner, who is an incredibly experienced runner and triathlete, hadn’t completed a 50-mile race in the past year... which was one of the qualifying requirements. I was dumbfounded on every front. The whole situation just kept leading back to the same thought: How is this even possible?

So after a few weeks of sorting through it, the reality is we’re not racing the 100-mile BADWATER SALTON SEA.

But here’s the thing...

I trained my butt off. I focused on long runs, big efforts in the Hollywood Hills, and time alongside highly experienced ultramarathon athletes. I pushed my ceiling this past month, and I can feel it. My strength is higher. My confidence is higher. My identity as an endurance runner feels stronger than ever. So no, I’m not frustrated. I don’t have regrets. If anything, I feel more ready.

That’s really the premise of this newsletter, isn’t it? Be start line ready. Live in a way that allows you to say yes when the opportunity shows up. That mindset let me step forward in the first place. And even though this one didn’t materialize, I know I’m better because of it. I honestly believe this is the universe making room for something even bolder. And when it shows up, I’ll be ready.

From The Field

Something else I’ve been thinking about lately came from a coach I worked with years ago. He once told me that when anxiety shows up before a race, or right before public speaking, elite performers don’t try to suppress the energy. They redirect it. They shift their focus outward. They lock in on something external, and suddenly that same energy stops being about fear or nerves and starts becoming fuel for the task at hand.

I’m sharing that because it’s a tactic you can use at the start line of anything. But I’m also sharing it because it’s another reminder of how valuable great coaching and mentorship can be. I’ve had world-class coaches and mentors in my life... people who taught me about performance, leadership through adversity, and relationships. The return on those investments has been massive every single time.

Right now, I’m working with an elite running coach, and I can’t fully express how good I feel as a runner and as an athlete. I’d argue I feel the most elite I ever have... even beyond my younger years competing internationally. It’s a wild feeling, but a great one.

The bigger point is this: you do not need to level up every area of your life at once. Choose one. Maybe two. Then really lean in. One season it might be therapy. Another season it might be business coaching. Another season it might be getting serious about your body, your craft, or your relationships. Last season for me, it was somatic healing and counselling. This season, it’s running. Growth has seasons. Learning has seasons. And if you commit to the right one, you’ll often find the benefits spill over into every other area of your life.

That’s the beautiful part... it’s all connected. It’s all energy.

Sometimes the right decision breaks your heart a little... but still builds the person you’re becoming. Trust what feels aligned, and keep showing up ready.

Catch you on the Start Line,
—Matty