As I drug my not really working anymore left leg the last few miles into the 200 mile aid station, Geyser Pass, I was crying. Partly due to pain, sleep deprivation and frustration, but mostly because I thought that after making it 200 miles in the last 3 1/2 days I would not be able to finish the race. Fortunately, my race did not end at mile 200.
Rewind about 3 days earlier to Friday morning at 6AM and my pursuit of running the Moab 240 was just starting. I had been training for this race for the last year. I had sacrificed a lot just to get to the starting line. Lots of early mornings (4am typically), sore muscles, sweating in the steam room (heat training really ended up paying off!), long weekend runs and eating foods that I'm pretty sure were made for rabbits. I felt grateful, nervous, and excited waiting at the starting line for the countdown. And then, 250 crazy ultra runners, including yours truly, started the first mile and first minutes of one of the two longest continuous foot races in the United States.
I was fortunate enough to have my sister Rachel, fly out from Michigan to "crew" me for the entire race and much of the race experience she was able to add to this blog in "real" time. I am going to try to do a "complete" race report at some point in the next few weeks but for now I'll just say that this was by far the HARDEST thing I have ever done in my life. For me, some ignorance of just how difficult completing the Moab 240 would be was needed to get me to the starting line! I couldn't ever have imagined how high the "highs" would be and how hard and long the "lows" could be. I couldn't have imagined just how glorious taking a 5 minute nap in the dirt on the side of the road on the 4th night of running would be. I couldn't have imagined actually hiking with my eyes closed. I couldn't have imagined how much I would NEED my sister Rachel crewing me (and pacing for 18 miles!), my sister Heidi, pacing me from mile 164 to 200 which ended up being the "crux" of the race and my lowest point toward the end of that segment as well, all of the volunteers who feed me with a steady supply of bfast burritos, the medical staff that literally gave me "second skin" for a big blister that formed around mile 140 on my right heel, and the other incredible runners that I "linked up" with for many, many miles and helped me push through some challenging times.
Crossing the finish line at 2:55 PM on Tuesday, October 11th, I have never been more proud of myself and also humbled and grateful for all those that helped me cross the finish line. A few stats for those that enjoy number:
Number of Runners Starting Race: 250
Number of DNF (Did Not Finish): 83 (33%)
My overall finishing place: 113th
My female finishing place: 21st
Finishing time: 104 hours, 51 minutes, 15 seconds (4 days, 8 hrs, 51 minutes, 15 seconds)
I didn't enjoy running until I turned 37. My first marathon was in May 2020. I smoked until 17 months ago. I hated mornings.
If I can find the strength and determination to complete a 240 mile race through the desert and mountains around Moab, I truly believe we can do anything. I sold myself very, very short for a very long time, but it's never to late to decide to change your mindset and your life.
Some pictures and videos from the race, will have "official" race pictures sometime next week I believe!
