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Adventures in Breaking Impossible

We're all about ordinary people overcoming big, difficult challenges!

Join Chris and Michael as we train, travel and, step by step, build up to The Big One(s)

Previously we walked around Lake Washington (in 24 hours), ran marathons (and ultra-marathons), flipped a tire for a mile (twice), all to prepare for our biggest, most difficult challenge yet . . .

the Hong Kong Four Trails Ultra Challenge

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Hong Kong Four Trails Ultra Challenge

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Chris Toepker

May 14, 20212 min read

Hails to the Rails!

By now you’ve noticed - I really enjoy the rails to trails. It’s the way they wind through so much, connecting it all. The rails are...

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Chris Toepker

Aug 13, 20205 min read

Let's have adventures!

What makes a good adventure? Good weather? Good friends? Something more? Let's find out!

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Chris Toepker

Jun 14, 20203 min read

Doing good, going hard

What is "good" anyway? To me, after struggling with painful knee, it is going back to "nothing," & "hard" through faster, further, heavier.

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Chris Toepker

May 12, 20203 min read

Its Quiet. Too Quiet!

The past few weeks have been quiet ones, like with many of you I’m sure. While I had been taking advantage of the exceptions for outdoor...

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Michael Van Elsberg

May 11, 20205 min read

Breaking Obstacles

I have practiced martial arts since I was nine-years old starting at one of Ed Parker’s (Tracy’s) Kenpo schools before the Bruce Lee...

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Michael Van Elsberg

Apr 4, 20203 min read

The MacLehose Trail Part Two

The MacLehose trail is the longest trail in Hong Kong and it covers most of the highest peaks from one side of the New Territories to the...

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Chris Toepker

Apr 2, 20208 min read

Real Challenges Require Standards

Without standards, without the chance to clearly fail, it is too easy to spin into self-doubt and time wasting.

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Michael Van Elsberg

Mar 28, 20203 min read

Lantau Island

At the beginning of my second trip to Hong Kong in February I stayed in Tung Chung for several days and got my first taste of the Lantau...

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Chris Toepker

Mar 22, 20203 min read

Microadventuring

I have been out microadventuering - getting a bit of challenge, difference & outing into everyday life. Here's a summary of 8-week attempt.

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Michael Van Elsberg

Jan 9, 20203 min read

The MacLehose Trail

I'm going back to Hong Kong in about a week to face the MacLehose trail for my third time. It's a daunting prospect. The Mac is the...

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Chris Toepker

Dec 30, 20193 min read

2020: Must We Resolve? (We Must)

Set a goal, it'll niggle just enough to move you along. Small wins add up. Soon, those goals are astonishing!

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Chris Toepker

Dec 15, 20194 min read

Incrementally Yours

Get where you're going incrementally. Seemingly small accomplishments add up. Get started, keep going, don't stop. Step by step.

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Michael Van Elsberg

Dec 12, 20193 min read

Hong Kong

I fell in love with Hong Kong when I made my first trip there in November to train for the Hong Kong Four Trails Ultra Challenge (and get...

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Michael Van Elsberg

Oct 11, 20192 min read

Secret Beach Lessons

So, Chris and I agreed that the Secret Beach run at Gold Beach, Oregon, would be a "training run" and a "nice day on the beach" if...

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Michael Van Elsberg

Sep 19, 20191 min read

GoPro Experiment

Yesterday I ran 20 miles and tried using my new GoPro with its time lapse photo feature but did not have enough room on the 32GB micro SD...

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Inspiration from the Special Operations Community

Michael Van Elsberg

Sep 3, 20193 min read

Inspiration from the Special Operations Community

Special Operations Forces (SOF) are essentially endurance athletes with weapons. They are warriors, Spartans, and occasionally epic,...

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Chris Toepker

Aug 20, 20192 min read

Getting Verts In

Going vertical to work it all out. Hiking up Dirty Harry's Peak, and right into a Chinese painting.

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Michael Van Elsberg

Aug 14, 20192 min read

On Running

I started running at the beginning of the first big running craze that followed the publication of the Complete Book of Running by Jim...

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Michael Van Elsberg

Aug 10, 20191 min read

Naysayers and Setting Big Goals

Helen Keller said, "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." Every day we are confronted with the choice of comfort vs growth and...

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Chris Toepker

Aug 6, 20194 min read

Test: Terrain Race 2019

Terrain Race 2019, in Seattle, continues to test fitness and mettle - join the challenge!

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