Trust The Timing

Hey Team!

Last week I didn’t send my weekly newsletter. Guilty as charged. But honestly... it didn’t rattle me.

This is edition number 40, and since I started, I’ve missed three weeks total. Not bad when I think about the two commitments I made to myself from day one: write it the week of, and don’t use AI. I’ve honored both of those every single time.

The timing last week was just chaos in motion. Tuesday and Wednesday... prime newsletter window... we were in transit to New York and hit four airports in 24 hours. Pretty wild when you actually stop and think about it. And also a very real reason the newsletter didn’t go out.

What I’m most at peace with is this: it was a choice. I could have rushed it. I could have forced something out just to stay perfect on paper. But that would have taken me away from what was right in front of me... the people I was with, the conversations we were there to have, and the goals we set out to accomplish. One of my business partners and I had three meetings in New York, plus a couple in Toronto, all within two days. I still got every run in, and the meetings went great. That tradeoff felt worth it. Missing one newsletter so I could be a little more analog, a little more present, for 48 hours... I can live with that.

This Week’s Shift

I’m excited to share this with you... drum roll please... I’ll be running the 2026 New York City Marathon on November 1 with Team Release. My excitement is through the roof. Getting into this race is no easy task. The lottery odds are incredibly slim, and while running for a charitable cause is another path in, those spots are limited too. That’s what makes this one feel so meaningful.

Team Release is part of the Release Recovery Foundation, started by Zac Clark, who I met through my friend Michael Chernow and now consider a friend myself. The foundation helps remove barriers to sobriety and mental health by expanding access to support and raising funds through initiatives like marathon programs. As someone who chose sobriety six years ago, and someone who deeply wants to make an impact through fundraising, this one feels personal. It’s an honor to be part of it.

What makes it hit even harder is the timing. As I’ve shared before, I’ve been trying to get a race on the books. First it was Moab 240. Then Badwater Salton Sea. Both fell through, despite real effort and real intention. However, I can see it clearly. Neither one was the right fit. Then this came along... and it feels right in a way I can’t fully explain. A reminder that not every closed door is a loss. Sometimes it’s just life asking for a little more patience.

In the meantime, the work hasn’t slowed down. I’ve stayed disciplined in the gym, on the road, and in my training. Other than this nagging finger fracture, I feel locked in. A few weeks ago I came across a line that stuck with me: find your passion and lock in. That one landed. Because that’s exactly what this season feels like.

From The Field

The first was the Arizona Monster 300... a brutal 300-mile effort across the Sonoran Desert. It’s the kind of race that reminds you ultrarunning is never just about distance. Conditions were punishing early, and even strong athletes were forced out, including Eli Wehbe, who I ran with in LA a few weeks back. I believe 40% of the field dropped out day one.

Then there was The Speed Project... the outlaw-style run from LA to Vegas that continues to hold a league of its own in running culture. No rules. No spectators. Just raw effort, bold people, and a kind of grit that still feels true to the roots of the sport. Teams take it on relay-style, while a small group of absolute savages go solo. This year, new solo records were set again with a time of just over 67 hours, along with a team breaking the course record with just over 28 hours. I feel this says a lot about where the ceiling is heading.

The deeper I get into the running world, the more obvious it becomes: we’re nowhere near the limit. Bigger participation, bolder efforts, more culture, more newness... it’s all still building. And from where I’m standing, some of the most exciting chapters in this sport still haven’t been written.

Remember: A missed week here and there with anything doesn’t mean you’re off track... it means you’re human. Stay patient, stay locked in, and trust that the right things will land when they’re meant to.

Catch you on the Start Line,
—Matty