At more than 10,000 feet above sea level, the air in Leadville, Colorado, is thin and the terrain is unforgiving. The Leadville 100 is a grueling 100-mile race through the Rocky Mountains, pushing runners to their absolute limits. For Colman Truett, it won’t just be about endurance — it will be a tribute to the toughest man he knows: his father, Dr. Trey Truett, a survivor of double cancer.
Colman and his father have long shared a bond through running. Before cancer disrupted their lives, Trey was an accomplished endurance athlete, competing in marathons, IRONMAN triathlons, and ultramarathons. They trained together, raced together, and pushed each other. Now, Colman is taking on one of the most challenging races in the world — not for the thrill, but to honor his father’s relentless fight against cancer.
A diagnosis that changed everything
Trey Truett said he was in great shape in 2016 when he was diagnosed with two cancers — cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive cancer of the bile duct, and prostate cancer. He knew he was succeptible because he had Lynch syndrome, a hereditary genetic disorder that both his grandfather and father had.
“I figured I was in great shape and healthy, so I thought it wouldn’t affect me for a long time. But I was wrong,” he said.
That spring, a 21-year-old Colman was studying abroad in Shanghai when he received the devastating news during a biweekly Zoom call with his parents.
“Initially, it was just shock,” Colman recalled. “But then, I felt a sense of guilt. I was on this big personal journey, studying abroad in Shanghai, and I was on the other side of the world while my dad was about to go through surgery. I couldn’t be there to support him the way I wanted to be.”
Back home, Trey faced the fight head-on. A grueling surgery in May 2016 removed 70% of his liver, and 6 months of chemotherapy followed. The prostate cancer required further treatment the next spring, including radiation. Later, when his cholangiocarcinoma recurred in the lymph nodes, he endured 2 years of immunotherapy.
Despite all this, Trey refused to give up the one thing that kept him grounded — exercise. He ran, biked, and lifted weights through treatment, determined to push forward.
“I truly believe that being in such great shape helped me survive cancer,” Trey said.
The cholangiocarcinoma has been gone for 6 years now, but the prostrate cancer slowy recured. Trey tried different medications, but they eventually stopped working.
He went through treatment in Louisville last spring, but my prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels kept rising. Scans showed involvement in his abdomen, and he had a biopsy in Houston. After molecular genetic studies, he started a combination of immunotherapy in Owensboro last November.
“Within one cycle, my PSA levels dropped,” Trey said. “Now, after three cycles, my PSA is undetectable, and my scans are clear. My doctors believe I’m cured. This nine-year journey has brought me to this point.”
Why Leadville?
Colman had grown up playing sports, but he never loved running the way his father did — at least, not at first. But when Trey began training for marathons, he invited his son along for short runs, instilling in him the discipline and mental toughness that endurance sports require. Those runs eventually turned into races, and by the time Colman was in college, he was pushing himself to take on harder challenges.
In 2015, before Trey’s diagnosis, they completed IRONMAN Texas together. The Leadville race had been on Colman’s man even back then. The Leadville Trail 100 Run, also known as The Race Across The Sky, challenges runners with a 100-mile out-and-back course through the rugged Rocky Mountain terrain. With a starting elevation of 10,200 feet and a total climb of 15,744 feet, participants must tackle steep ascents, including the climb over Hope Pass (12,532 feet) twice. Fewer than half of the participants finish within the strict 30-hour time limit each year.
“It’s highly regarded in both the general running community and ultrarunning specifically,” he said. “It’s one of the most difficult races in the world — not just because of the 100-mile distance but because of the high altitude and elevation changes. It’s always been a bucket-list race for me, something I wanted to do ‘one day.’”
That day came in June 2023, when Trey’s prostate cancer returned.
‘When my dad’s prostate cancer came back and required a more aggressive approach, I started thinking more seriously about doing something meaningful. I wanted to find a race that combined my love for ultrarunning with a way to support my dad,” Colman said. “I also wanted to raise money for a cause I truly believe in — something that could genuinely impact others and inspire people the way my dad has inspired me.”
A couple of months ago, Colman saw that Leadville 100 had charity spots through the Livestrong Foundation. It checked all the boxes he was looking for, so he signed up.
Running for something bigger
Colman’s fundraising campaign took off immediately, surpassing its initial goal within 24 hours and continuing to climb. But for him, the race isn’t about the money — it’s about the message.
“The lesson I’ve learned from my dad is that it’s not about running when you feel good,” he said. “What really matters is what you do when you feel your worst — when you wake up and don’t want to get out of bed, when the last thing you want to do is exercise, go to work, or do the necessary things in life. My dad has been through so many bad days, fighting day in and day out. He’s won some battles and lost others, but he keeps pushing forward. That’s something people with cancer — and their loved ones — understand deeply. It’s about staying strong even when everything feels like it’s falling apart.”
Trey doesn’t have the desire to compete again, but not just because of the cancer. Daily exercise remains vital, thought.
“I’ve been there, done that,” he said of competetive racing. “I’ve had my heyday. Now, I just want to exercise for health — to stay as healthy as possible for as long as I can so I can enjoy time with my children, future grandchildren, and continue practicing medicine.”
His stamina isn’t as strong as it used to be, but Trey has continued to work and exercise.
“I’ve been very open about my cancer because I want people to know it’s not a death sentence,” he said. “I continued working the whole time, took very little time off, and kept exercising. I truly believe exercise is one of the best medicines. I still run, bike, and lift weights — nothing like when I was training, but I try to do something every day. That’s rubbed off on my children.”
A positive mindset has also been key.
“I’ve been open about my diagnosis because I wanted to be an example of how one can deal with cancer. I consider myself very lucky to have done so well with treatment. I firmly believe that staying motivated and continuing with life is crucial,” he said. “A cancer diagnosis is no longer the death sentence it used to be. We’re getting better treatments all the time. For the past nine years, I’ve said I was just kicking the can down the road until a cure came along, and now it looks like both my cancers are cured. The good Lord willing, I believe that’s the case.”
His father’s resilience has shaped Colman’s perspective on endurance. With Leadville just months away, Colman knows the race will push him beyond his limits.
“It’s my way of showing respect and support for him, and honestly, admiration for the battle he’s fought,” Colman said. “This race is daunting, and I’m nervous and scared in a lot of ways, but it’s nothing compared to what he’s been through. It’s my way of honoring him.”
Colman also said he doesn’t want the Truett’s story to overshadow others who are in similar situations.
“If even one person reads this and feels inspired to get off the couch and go for their first run in years, then that’s a success to me,” he said. “That’s all I can hope for.”
