Peter Vercio

Background

About Peter Vercio

In 2019, I volunteered to be the race coordinator's assistant at the Ouray 100 ultramarathon, a grueling mountain race with feet of elevation. This was my first time ever being around an ultramarathon. The volunteer coordinator told me I probably wouldn't get much sleep over the 52 hours the race runs. The race started and I went from aid station to aid station getting there a few minutes before the leading runners and staying to make sure everyone had everything they needed until the last runners went through. Then leapfrogging ahead of the leaders. After seeing them a few times I started to remember the runner's names and what they needed. This went on all day until about 1 am when the race coordinator told me I could have an hour to sleep. The pounding rain slamming the roof of my truck made it difficult to sleep but I'm sure I dozed off for at least twenty minutes. I jumped back into an aid station just as the leader came through at mile 50. He was a young quiet French kid named Aurelien, but he was dominating the race. Hours later I saw him at the 80-mile mark, exhausted laying under a tent. The second-place runner came through and Aurelien told him he was done. He dozed off as a few more runners came through but I kept waking him up and feeding him every 30 minutes or so. Finally, we poured a raw egg down his throat and I told him we were going to run together. I alternated between praising him and pushing him for 20 miles until 2 am when he finished his first 100-mile race. For our exploits, we got to be featured in a North Face film that had been filmed about another runner. This story exemplifies the teamwork, problem-solving, quick learning ability, and tenacity with which I approach work and life. These traits have enabled me to raise $2.5M for a seed-stage startup, grow a solar startup from 3 people to over 10 and $2 million in annual revenue, and successfully build and manage a vertical farming company with little industry experience. I love solving problems on my own and with a team and have been described by a mentor as "one of the few people he knew who regularly made lasting friendships, and often received job offers or business proposals from people they met in an Uber or climbing mountains." I enjoy meeting new people and hearing new perspectives. Reach out if you want to talk to me about sustainability, trail running, or the latest book you are reading!