Kengkue brings a soccer background and a lifetime of being somewhat active, which is a polite way of saying he's quietly ready while the rest of us are still stretching. He leads by actions, not by thoughts and speeches, running this one about 50 percent for his family and 50 percent for himself — perfectly parked in the happy middle — and he kicks us off at a steady 9:10 that sets the tone for the whole team.

Yer is the most fearless runner on the team — zero doubts, always firing back "yes we can," and personally offended if you try to hand her the short legs (she wants the hard miles, thank you very much). Her real superpower is making everyone around her believe anything is possible, and that confidence spreads through the team like wildfire.

Xa is the team captain, running on a fired-up heart and a love of competition, and he'll happily admit he's not the most talented runner out here — then beat you anyway on pure willpower, grit, and a fire that flips on the second someone sneaks ahead. He handed himself 38+ of the longest, nastiest miles on the course on purpose, and if there's anyone up the road, he's already plotting the takedown.

Sunyu is built like a machine with legs for days, and here's the kicker — he genuinely hates running but is way too stubborn to quit, so he keeps chasing new challenges until every last one is fully conquered. He's powering through 35 miles including the brutal Leg 16 in the dead of night, which is exactly when you want a guy who flat-out refuses to tap out.

KB was born fast — easily the quickest on the team and the spark that keeps everyone fired up at 3 a.m. — with exactly one flaw: she forgets to check her pace and doesn't notice she's flying until everyone behind her is gasping for air. She's got 36+ miles ahead and she'll make every one look easy, so trying to keep up with her is a bad idea you'll only make once.

Marie has read every running book and follows every top runner, so she knows exactly what you should and shouldn't be doing — more book-smart than street-smart for now, but hungry to build the best version of herself. The wild part? She's never even run a marathon, yet she's anchoring us on Leg 36 into Lake Superior, nervous but brutally honest about it, because this no-nonsense woman says it exactly how she sees it — and she's about to shock everyone, herself included.