Episode 155: Time on Feet: How Kyle Thompson Uses Adversity to Chase Excellence

In Episode 155 of The Mental Mettle Podcast, Regional Superintendent and ultramarathoner Kyle Thompson shares how “time on feet” in the mountains has shaped the way he leads, parents, and lives. His story is a powerful look at intentional adversity, resilience, and what it means to choose hard things on purpose so you’re better prepared for the hard things life brings your way.

Kyle serves as the Regional Superintendent of ROE #11 in Charleston, Illinois, and he is also a 100-mile finisher who has learned a lot about patience, endurance, and mental toughness through trail running. In this conversation, he opens up about how a question from his kids — “What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done?” — sparked a major shift in his life and pushed him to seek out bigger challenges.

Running, leadership, and growth

This episode connects ultrarunning and leadership in a way that feels practical and real. Kyle talks about training in brutal conditions, including early-morning runs, hot weather, and the kind of mountain racing that demands both physical and mental grit. He explains that trail running teaches him how to stay calm, solve problems, and keep going when things get uncomfortable.

The conversation also goes deeper into the difference between optional adversity and mandatory adversity. Kyle’s perspective is that the hard things we choose — like endurance races, graduate school, or major leadership responsibilities — can prepare us for the hard things we do not choose later in life. That idea fits the heart of Mental Mettle: building resilience before you need it.

Lessons from failure

Kyle is also honest about disappointment, DNFs, and the mental side of not finishing when you hoped to. He talks about how failure in ultrarunning has taught him humility and given him a better understanding of leadership, because you do not get through those experiences without learning something about yourself. That honesty makes this episode especially valuable for educators, coaches, and leaders who want a real-world example of resilience.

He also shares how his own growth has changed the way he shows up for his family and his staff. The calm he has developed through endurance training has helped him become more level-headed, more self-aware, and more intentional in the way he leads others.

Mental Mettle in action

This episode also highlights the work Kyle has done with Mental Mettle Coaching. He brought Matt in to lead an 8-session group coaching series with his ROE #11 team, and he speaks highly of how that experience helped staff members grow in self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and vulnerability. For Kyle, the value of that work was not just professional development — it was culture development.

That makes this episode a strong listen for superintendents, school leaders, coaches, and educators who want something deeper than another buzzword-heavy training. If you care about real resilience, healthier teams, and leadership that starts with the adults in the room, this conversation is a great place to start.

Listen now

Episode 155 is a reminder that excellence often comes from intentional discomfort, not comfort. Kyle Thompson’s story shows how endurance, leadership, and adversity can work together to shape a better athlete, a better parent, and a better leader.

If you work in education, coaching, or leadership, this episode offers a clear picture of what it looks like to chase excellence through purposefully chosen hard things.