Going the Distance: The G1M Ultra

In May 2025, rappid. co-founder Kim Gottwald took part in what would become the most extreme challenge of his running career so far: the Go One More Ultra in Austin, Texas.

The race format – known as Last Man Standing – required participants to run a 6.7 km loop every hour, on the hour, for as long as they could. There was no finish line, only the last athlete remaining. For Kim, it wasn’t just a race. It was a test of discipline, pain tolerance, and belief.

The event had special meaning. It was hosted by BPN and Nick Bare – the reason Kim had started running in the first place. When the race was first announced, he knew immediately that he wanted to be part of it. Not to compete casually, but to prove something: to himself, to others, and to the mission behind rappid.

He spent the 4.5 months leading up to the race training with complete focus – three hours a day, every day, everything in his life aligned toward the goal.

What unfolded in Texas was brutal: temperatures above 37°C, extreme sleep deprivation, physical breakdowns, hallucinations. After 30 hours, only two runners were left. Kim kept going. At 56 hours and 382 kilometers, the race was cut short due to a severe storm. He was still standing – effectively the winner.

This wasn’t his first ultra – but it was the one that changed everything. His first ultra had been 100 kilometers without preparation, and left him bedridden for days. This time, he was ready. Not just physically, but mentally. "Ultras aren’t really about running," Kim says. "It’s a mental game. You're constantly trying to resist the urge to quit."

During the race, he drew strength from a simple principle: Everything is temporary. He didn’t run for himself. He ran for the message rappid. stands for: not quitting when it gets hard. Pushing through. Moving forward.

Wearing his own gear throughout the race added another layer of meaning. "rappid. has been with me in every ultra – and I’ve never had a single issue with the gear." The brand, which already had momentum before the G1M Ultra, saw its biggest shift during the event. Every product sold out mid-race. The preorder that followed exceeded expectations by a wide margin. Since then, each drop has sold out within minutes. 

For Kim, the event also marked another personal milestone: he became the first non-English-speaking athlete to officially join BPN – something he’d quietly envisioned since the day he started running.

Looking back, he’s certain about one thing:
"If you have a vision, and you truly believe in it, the only logical step is to fully commit. There’s no halfway."