Becoming Ultra

Ultrarunner and Down with Running founder Matt Lamos shares how his daughter Lilly inspired a mission to help individuals with special needs pursue meaningful physical goals one step, one challenge and one "I did it" at a time. In this episode, we talk about Matt's path from soccer and casual fitness to ultrarunning The surprisingly hilly side of trail running in Iowa Lilly's birth and the family's first 40 days in the hospital How Down syndrome can affect muscle tone, development and milestones Lilly's progression from using a walker to running down the aisle at Matt's wedding Why the words "I can't" and "I don't want to" are not interchangeable Rethinking the language we use when talking about a "healthy" child Matt's honest first emotions after learning that Lilly had Down syndrome Why Lilly's siblings treat her like their sister—not someone who needs different expectations The mission behind Down with Running and its focus on instructional encouragement Why meaningful physical goals