From PC Teammates to Ultra Endurance Runners: Joshua Ge and Andrew Kempenich’s Journey

When Andrew Kempenich, class of 2026, agreed to pace Portland Christian alum Joshua Ge, class of 2023, he didn’t realize it would mean staying awake for nearly 40 hours. But sleep deprivation wasn’t the hardest part—trying to keep up with Joshua was. Andrew joined him at mile 93 of the grueling Bigfoot 200 and stayed with him until mile 134.

To understand how these two schoolmates ended up on a 200-mile mountain course together, the story needs some rewinding.

Andrew and Joshua first met when Andrew was a freshman and Joshua was a senior at PC. Despite their four-year age gap, they quickly bonded over cross country and track. During the 2023 season, they both ran sprints, competed on the 4×100 relay team, and trained side by side. Their friendship continued even after Joshua graduated.

Left photo: Josh in the 2022 NWL meet; right photo: The 2023 4x400m team from right to left Joshua Ge, Andrew Kempenich, Ian Hoffert, Caden Schroder

After graduation, Joshua headed to the University of Pittsburgh, later transferring to New York University to pursue his dream of working on Wall Street. Alongside his academic and career ambitions, he sought a way to push his physical and mental limits. What started as five-mile runs as a break from studying soon became 10, then 15-mile runs. Joshua then experimented with running a marathon (26.2 miles) through campus. Afterwards, he wondered what it would be like to run 100 miles.

Joshua discovered that to run a 100-mile race, he first needed to qualify with a 50-mile event. Over Christmas break, he impulsively signed up for the Lookout Mountain 50 in Tennessee—an experience he admits left him painfully unprepared but determined to grow. That race led him to Oregon’s Hood Hundred in 2024, run in the shadow of Mt. Hood. He describes it as “the most pain in my life,” but it cemented his place in the world of ultrarunning.

Along the way, Joshua leaned on lessons carried from PC, especially from his Bible and Government teacher, Mrs. Rachel Humphrey. She remembers, “What always stood out to me about Joshua was his honesty and self-awareness. He was always willing to engage in our Bible study and consider its implications for his life and future. He was ambitious about his future but still exploring what it would mean to follow Jesus right now.”

“In life, it’s challenging to be surrounded by people who don’t have similar values; I’m grateful to Mrs. Humphrey for giving me a solid Biblical foundation,” he reflects. He credits that perspective with shaping his persistence in both academics and endurance running.

Meanwhile, Andrew – then a sophomore – was watching closely. Inspired by Joshua’s stories, he mapped out his own marathon route through local neighborhoods just to see if he could do it.

By the next summer of 2024, Joshua asked him to be a pacer at the Hood Hundred, trusting him to guide him through the race’s toughest miles. Andrew joined him at mile 60 and covered 20 miles overnight into the next day. “The pacer comes in at the hardest part of a race with the goal to help the runner get through that section,” Andrew explains.

Their shared endurance adventure didn’t stop there. In July 2025, while working on the trading floor, Joshua completed the Ironman Lake Placid triathlon just weeks before attempting the Bigfoot 200, a 208-mile mountain race in Washington’s Cascade Range with nearly 46,000 feet of elevation gain. From lava fields around Mt. St. Helens to dense forests and steep mountain climbs, it’s considered one of the toughest ultra-endurance races in the country.

Andrew once again joined him as pacer in the Bigfoot 200, this time at mile 93 in the middle of the night. Joshua was already battling blistered feet and exhaustion. “It helps to have someone to talk to, to follow; it can get pretty lonely out there,” Joshua says. Andrew kept him moving, encouraging him to rest briefly when needed and pushing him through the relentless elevation swings.

Photo courtesy of Andrew Kempenich

For Joshua, the trust he placed in Andrew was immense. If a pacer drops out, the runner risks disqualification—making Andrew’s commitment vital. Together, they pushed through to the Chain of Lakes checkpoint, a crucial leg of the course.

Photos above courtesy of Joshua Ge

After four days on the trail, Joshua crossed the finish line of the Bigfoot 200 in 96 hours.

We are so proud of both Joshua and Andrew—for the friendship that began on PC’s track, and for the resilience and determination that carried them across mountains. Their story is a reminder of what’s possible when faith, grit, and community intersect.

Photo courtesy of Andrew Kempenich