Three Months Ago and One Month To Go

A story of humility, grit, and making the one person proud who matters most

Author

Ed Clementi
October 06, 2025

Three Months Ago

Three months ago, I ran the Spartan Super in the Poconos.

If you’ve never been there, let me paint the picture: a race up and down a ski mountain, brutal climbs, altitude that tests your lungs, and obstacles that don’t care who you are. What I didn’t know at the starting line, but learned quickly through fellow racers, was that this particular course is considered one of the hardest Supers in the country.

And I felt every inch of it.

Not even an hour in, my head started to betray me:
“I can’t do this.”
“I’m not going to finish.”
“I’ll have to tell people I didn’t make it.”

I watched others — some in way better “looking” shape than me — get pulled off the course by medics. And still, I kept moving. Somewhere along the way, the time stopped mattering. The only goal became: finish, no matter what.

And I did. My time? 5 hours, 32 minutes, 59 seconds.

  • 86th percentile.

  • 2,121 out of 2,458 overall.

  • 1,677 out of 1,932 men.

  • 150 out of 161 in my age bracket (45–49). I’m 49 🤭

Humbling, to say the least.

People congratulated me. “You did it.” “That’s amazing.”
But inside? It didn’t feel amazing. It felt like I left something on the table.

Why It Didn’t Feel Good

Here’s the truth I’ve been reluctant to write about until now: I knew I could do better.

Not on the course. That was everything I had that day. But in the training. The preparation. The build-up. Deep down, I knew I hadn’t done enough.

That’s why it took me weeks to process. Why I didn’t write an article right away like I did after the Spartan Sprint last year. Why even now, typing these words feels uncomfortable.

Because it’s one thing to be humbled. It’s another to admit…, you could have given more.

One Month To Go

So what do you do with that?

For me, the answer was to force my own hand. I signed up for the Spartan Beast. The 21K. The final and most difficult piece of the trifecta. It takes place in about a month.

Crazy? Maybe.
Terrifying? Definitely.
Necessary? Absolutely.

Because this isn’t about medals or rankings. It’s about making one person proud… me.

Yesterday, I had my best training run yet. Today, I’m sore. But the mindset is shifting. Slowly, the fear of the Beast is being replaced with something stronger: the conviction that this time, I’ll leave it all out there.

Why This Matters Beyond the Race

The truth is, this isn’t about Spartan.

It’s about life. It’s about leadership. It’s about the work we all do every day.

The lesson? It’s always you vs. you.
Not the person next to you. Not the competition across the street. Not the colleague who seems more polished or more talented.

Just you.
Did you give your best?
Did you push for more when you could have coasted?
Did you choose the discomfort that leads to growth?

Only you know the answer. And only you can live with it.

The Road to November

So here I am. Three months removed from being humbled. One month away from the biggest test yet.

This time, I’m not chasing perfect preparation or guaranteed results. I’m chasing effort. Commitment. Showing up with nothing left in reserve.

Because that’s where pride is born. Not in the placement. Not in the medal. But in the quiet knowledge that, whatever the outcome, I gave everything I had.

You vs. You

Three months ago, I crossed a finish line and felt empty.

Next month, I’ll cross another one. And no matter the time, no matter the rank, I’ll know I made the only person I truly needed to make proud…, myself.

Because in the end… it’s always you vs. you.

And speaking of finish lines… I’m also wrapping up a different kind of race: my first book, Leadership at the Dinner Table. If you’ve been following my journey and want to be part of this next chapter, you can hop on the waitlist.

With Absolute Sincerity,

Ed Clementi
Founder & CEO of Inspired Fire, LLC

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