Reaching New Heights

What challenges would you take on if you knew you possessed the grit, strength and confidence to succeed? According to John Baldwin, founder of The Good Climb Endurance Challenge, you already have what it takes to climb your mountain. “I guarantee you are stronger than you think,” he said. “There’s a lot you can discover about yourself on the hills.” Find out for yourself on Saturday, July 27th at HoliMont, where The Good Climb five-hour endurance challenge welcomes athletes of all ages and abilities to move outside their comfort zone and unleash their inner strength.

From 9:00am to 2:00pm, athletes hike up Exhibition Run and take the chairlift down as many times as they want or are able. There are three different courses of varying difficulty available. “If you’re a skier, you can think about a green trail, a blue square, and a black diamond,” Baldwin explained. “The most difficult is right under the ski lift. It’s the quickest, but it’s the steepest. The second one starts off steep and then veers off and is a little less steep. The third one starts pretty steep again, but then goes off on like a Jeep trail and kind of winds around to the top - that’s one that pretty much anybody can do.”

Baldwin noted that the challenge is open to anyone. “We have some guys that are in their late seventies, and we have some eight-year-old kids that do it,” he said. “It’s a great team event. It’s great for families, and it’s a great corporate event because it’s about supporting each other and pushing one another and trying to get the best out of yourself.”

A seasoned endurance athlete, Baldwin has always been passionate about the mind-body connection and how challenging oneself physically pays huge dividends mentally and emotionally. “Doing hard things and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone can give you a real sense of fulfillment, a real sense of accomplishment that can really, really help you with your confidence,” he explained. “Studies are showing that doing these types of things can reduce anxiety by increasing your confidence, can reduce stress, and help really give you an overall feeling of fulfillment.”

Toward that end, proceeds from The Good Climb benefit Horizon Health Services, which provides comprehensive mental health and addiction services to individuals and families in western New York. Horizon Health Services has also created programs in area high schools to reach students, parents, and faculty who may be struggling with anxiety, depression, and substance abuse issues.

While there is no specific number of treks up the hill that athletes need to reach, Baldwin said that those who are approaching the challenge as competitors won’t be disappointed. Engraved Good Climb Yetis (courtesy of The City Garage) will be awarded for first, second, and third place individual male and female athletes and first, second, and third place teams of up to four people. Baldwin recalls that last year’s first place male and female winners ascended the hill an impressive 21 and 18 times, respectively.

Participants can enjoy hiking to the beat, as a DJ will be playing music throughout the event. A full catered lunch from Market in the Square will be provided, as well as adult beverages courtesy of Try-It Distributing. Last year, there were cold-plunge tubs available, and Baldwin said they’re currently working with a company to make this happen again.

“This all goes to a great cause, and that’s mental health programs - teenage mental health programs - at Horizon Health Services,” said Baldwin. “All of those programs are right in our community. We encourage people, even if they can’t for some reason come out and join us for the event, to go to the website at www.thegoodclimb.com and donate.” This is also the website where participants can register for The Good Climb and learn more about the event. While same-day registration will be accepted on July 27th, Baldwin recommends signing up in advance to guarantee a t-shirt.

He's thrilled to have new partnerships and sponsors for the 2024 challenge, including Uniland Development Company, Maxwell Murphey, Attorneys at Law, and media sponsor WIVB News 4. “This year, we partnered with a company called Ka-chava, and each registrant is going to get a coupon that they can redeem for a two-pound package of Ka-chava super foods, and that retails at $70,” he added.

For more information, be sure to follow the Good Climb on Facebook and Instagram. Baldwin can be reached at jjbaldwiniv@gmail.com or 716-400-7222.

Reaching New Heights

Summer Shopping Guide

Let the Games Begin