Kristian la Cour-Madsen’s 50-Mile Iron Phi Tribute
Honoring the Memory of two friends
By Steve Good, Executive Director of Iron Phi
For Kristian la Cour Madsen, Montana ’91, becoming an Iron Phi meant pushing far beyond comfort and channeling every mile into purpose.
On October 4, 2025, Kristian laced up his shoes before sunrise in downtown Kansas City and began a 50.75-mile run to Lawrence, Kansas—an endurance test that would take him nearly a full day to complete. His finish line wasn’t a medal or a clock. It was the front steps of the Kansas Alpha Chapter House at the University of Kansas, where undergraduate brothers welcomed him after hours on the road and a journey fueled by heart, grit, and remembrance.
“The tanks were either all full or completely empty,” Kristian said of the final stretch. “True over-the-top emotions and close to exhaustion.”
The run honored two men he loved and admired who recently lost their battles with ALS—Joe Ryan, a high school classmate, and Bill Hart, a mentor whose wisdom and integrity shaped Kristian in many ways. Kristian wanted his effort to reflect the resilience they showed and the hope that drives every member of Iron Phi: leaving ALS better than we found it.
“This run was not just about covering miles,” he said. “It was about carrying their legacy forward. It was about resilience, about love, and about the unwavering hope that one day we will see a cure for ALS.”
With the support of family, friends, and Phi Delta Theta brothers, Kristian surpassed his fundraising goal, raising an incredible $16,284. His commitment earned him Iron Phi #2761 and inclusion in the Iron Phi Hall of Fame, recognizing those who have raised more than $10,000.
From the open highway to the warm welcome at Kansas Alpha, Kristian’s journey will inspire many others to become Iron Phis.
Iron Phis
- 2949 – Isabella Sosa, Alpha Xi Delta (FIU)
- 2948 – Jacob Brodecki, Pennsylvania Theta
- 2947 – Sophia Hevia, Phi Mu (FIU)
- 2946 – Emily Diaz, Delta Phi Epsilon (FIU)
- 2945 – Bianca Castello, Alpha Omicron Pi (FIU)
- 2944 – Robin Johnston, Ontario Alpha
- 2943 – Lawrence Norman, New Jersey Gamma
- 2942 – Jim Rosencrans, Pennsylvania Lambda
- 2941 – Dylan Berg, North Dakota Alpha
- 2940 – Ryan Frenz, Missouri Zeta
- 2939 – Dom DiMattia, New Jersey Gamma
- 2938 – Erik Strickler, Colorado Alpha
- 2937 – Connor Cox, Nevada Beta
- 2936 – John Russ, Florida Mu
- 2935 – Rowen Baynes, Ohio Epsilon
- 2934 – Jevin Lim, Oregon Zeta
- 2933 – Mason Dexter, Ohio Epsilon
- 2932 – Drew Castaneda, Texas Nu
- 2931 – Joe Dasti, New Jersey Gamma
- 2930 – Bradley Bisesi, Ohio Epsilon
- 2929 – Chase Rose, Alabama Beta
- 2928 – Jeremiah Varner, Alabama Beta
- 2927 – Tyler Walker, Alabama Beta
- 2926 – Jack Wienstroer, Alabama Beta
- 2925 – Landon Reichert, Alabama Beta
- 2924 – Wes Baker, Arizona Alpha
- 2923 – Oliver Salter, Alabama Beta
- 2922 – Cade Nelson, Alabama Beta
- 2921 – David Taylor, Alabama Beta
- 2920 – George Pelekis, Alabama Beta
- 2919 – Toby Norman, Alabama Beta
- 2918 – Sophia Dyer, Purdue
- 2917 – Tyler Deibold, Alabama Beta
- 2916 – Lock Erlandsen, Colorado Alpha
- 2915 – Zachary Mourar, Pennsylvania Iota
- 2914 – Gabe Schmitt, California Pi
- 2913 – Barrett Reginald, Arizona Alpha
- 2912 – Thomas Lombardo, Colorado Alpha
- 2911 – Evan Foster, Georgia Zeta
- 2910 – Bill Morrison, Florida Mu
- 2909 – Grayson Peterkin, Texas Pi
- 2908 – Preston King, Idaho Beta
- 2907 – JJ Flanagan, California Nu
- 2906 – Max Starikov, Arizona Alpha
- 2905 – Laclan Wandler, Arizona Alpha
- 2904 – Charlie Fasl, Kansas Gamma
- 2903 – Tyler Peery, Michigan Theta
- 2902 – Brandon Hare, Kansas Delta
- 2901 – Gus Adamo, Florida Omicron
- 2900 – Ryan Morrow, Idaho Alpha
- 2899 – Alex Guaglione, Florida Omicron
- 2898 – Frank Shaw, Florida Omicron
- 2897 – Vinny Melisi, New York Kappa
- 2896 – Francesca Casanova, Alpha Xi Delta (FIU)
- 2895 – Vinny Pescatore, Colorado State
- 2894 – Brenan Papadopoulos, Washington
- 2893 – Landon Saino, Washington
- 2892 – Liam Peterson, Washington
- 2891 – Annabella Llano, Alpha Xi Delta (FIU)
- 2890 – Kiran Kenny, Pittsburgh
- 2889 – Winslow Wilson, Washington
- 2888 – Cameron Pelletier, Widener
- 2887 – James Stinebiser, Seton Hall
- 2886 – Samantha Jimenez, Alpha Omicron Pi (FIU)
- 2885 – Walt Wing, Oklahoma State
- 2884 – Josh Perr, Rutgers
- 2883 – Annabella Angulo, Delta Phi Epsilon (FIU)
- 2882 – Josh Negrete, Idaho
- 2881 – Brendan Kassebaum, Idaho
- 2880 – Daniel Rogers, Mercer
- 2879 – Nand Shah, Merecer
- 2878 – Steele Allgood, Georgia Southern
- 2877 – Kyle Berdy, Penn State
- 2876 – Branden Gonzalez, Idaho
- 2875 – Megan MacDonald, Phi Sigma Sigma (FIU)
- 2874 – George Hill, TCU
