Dylan
Bowman

Dylan is a runner who has led the world's top trail running scene for many years, until he became the founder of the trail running media "FREETRAIL" who also can juggle a role as an "ambassador" promoting trail running culture worldwide.
Needless to say, trail running is a sport in which you run on wild mountains and compete with other runners, but in the competition, runners experience the beauty and toughness of nature, and at the same time, connect with their own bodies and minds. And it is a sport that makes you realize your own growth by continuing to run while sometimes feeling happy and other times overcoming pain. Specifically, the 100-mile race, also Dylan’s specialty, is said to be a race so dramatic that it can be compared to a person's life, and that it creates a documentary revealing the essence of people.
Dylan has been active in FREETRAIL for the past few years and has already made a significant impact on the community. Dylan answered as below when we asked about balancing “FREETRAIL” while being an “athlete.”

"I want to spread the appeal of trail running, my love, through FREETRAIL, and this is my top priority right now. I want to live a life with my friends and family which I continue to share all the positivity that comes from this wonderful sport, such as the courage to overcome own barriers, the motivation to move forward, and the power of not giving up and aiming for the goal.
But I'm still motivated as an athlete and have goals I want to achieve. I have always lived a life committed to competition, and I feel that this is the most natural way for me to live in the first place. But I now have a new family and have started a small business called FREETRAIL with my close people, I think I am in a different phase in life than I used to be.
Tomorrow will be my second Hardrock 100, but I think of this challenge as a "New Chapter" for me. I'm feeling anxiety and nervousness like I've never felt before as an athlete, but I’m thinking to run connected with myself in the present rather than chasing my past self."

The story goes back to April of this year. Dylan competed in Ultra Trail Mount Fuji's short race "KAI70k" in Japan.
Dylan has won the Ultrarail Mount Fuji long distance race "FUJI" twice and is familiar with Japanese trail culture. Dylan shared his thoughts on his KAI participation before the race.
"It means a lot to be in KAI this time since this would be an important step towards the next Hardrock 100 race. Running this race will help me understand my present condition and feel my current best. This is important because I must reestablish my run today by being fully aware of my current best without getting psychologically pulled by previous performances. I also think that enjoyment is another important element for me in the race now."
KAI was a short-distance race but took off fast from the start with all the fast-paced marathoners also participating among Japanese runners. Despite that, Dylan kept improving his ranking and finished fourth.

"I think I took a very good step at KAI. I think I was able to maintain my speed at a good pace and I felt my steps solid on most of the climbs. I even met a few friends along the way and got to enjoy chatting with them a little. I truly felt really good progress. I slowed down a bit on the last climb, which was imaginable considering my current training frequency, but I can only move forward one step at a time. So, in that sense, I think running KAI was a very worthwhile step. “
During the race, Dylan would call out to the runners who were ahead of him as he passed them. (Since the long-distance FUJI started first, the top runners in the short distance KAI which started later kept passing the FUJI runners as they go.) Running while encouraging other athletes is not easy to do at all without mental leeway. Despite of him competing as an athlete, Dylan Bowman always remembers spirit of the “FREETRAILER.”
By contrast, Dylan struggled on the big stage of Hardrock 100, surrounded by family, friends, and its wonderful community.

It wasn't until he arrived at "Ouray Aid Station" that Dylan's support crew noticed something was wrong with him.
“Ouray Aid station” is the turning point of the entire course. Because the aid station is located at the lowest altitude, it is suitable as a place to rest and replenish energy. But the lower the altitude, the more series of tough climbs follows. And not only that, stopping at this section tends to fall in the timing when it rushes into the night. Because of all this, it is very easy to fall into a negative mental state.
Dylan arrived at the aid station in 4th place. Many people gathered at the aid station greeted him with applause. Dylan sat back in a chair with a grim expression on his face, put a towel over his head and looked down. When the crew called out, Dylan repeated his bearish responses.
"It's really hard, it's like I'm running while troubleshooting all day."
"It's too hot today to begin with."
"I don't know if I can make it to the end."
His friends and people around him listened to his pleas, but continued to nourish and encourage him, and kept encouraging him to drink fluids.
"You say it's the worst run, but you're still in the top 4 in Hardrock 100, which is really amazing! You can be confident!"

"It's night from here on, but it just means this strong sunlight will disappear. So, it's good!"
"Topher is there from here, so you'll be fine!"
Dylan's longtime supporter and wife, Harmony, later told us about Dylan at Ouray:
"I've never thought anything like this before, but I thought he should even retire when I saw Dylan's expression on Ouray. But I knew he’s capable of judging his limits, so I trusted his will and sent him to go on."
Stay at Ouray is about 10 minutes. Applause and cheers erupted from the crowd as Dylan stood up. The next aid station, Telluride, is a 1500m climb and a 1000m descent.
It is said that a 100mile race will always have a low point, just like in life. In other words, it is a state as we say, “rock bottom,” that will not fall any further. And trail culture makes us realize that it is not a weakness to be getting out of such point and getting helped by someone to continue running.