100 Miles, Never Dreamed I'd Be Here!

 



A couple of weeks ago, I completed my very first 100-mile ultramarathon! Never in my life did I imagine doing something like this.


It all started back in 2022 when I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail—a story I’ll come back to another time. While on trail, I discovered that long-distance hiking and ultra-running actually go hand in hand. I met runners who trained for ultras by thru-hiking, and hikers who stayed in shape for thru-hiking with ultra-marathons. Some friends convinced me that after finishing the PCT, I could absolutely tackle an ultra. So, I signed up for a 50-mile race, and about a month and a half after completing the trail, I ran it! It was tough—my hips and feet were still recovering from the PCT—but I finished solidly in the middle of the pack.


That experience planted the seed for the 100-miler. This time, I trained not just with hiking, but also incorporated more structured running. I added yoga and regular stretching into my routine to keep my hips, feet, and overall body healthier as I pushed higher mileage—and it made a big difference. As part of my prep, I ran a 100-kilometer race in November: the Red Rock 100K in Vegas. It went really well, my body felt strong, and once again, I finished mid-pack.


On race day for the 100-miler, I felt strong overall—but one major issue threw things off: my stomach. Almost from the start, I knew something was wrong. I dealt with GI issues for nearly all of day one. Running made it worse, so I had to walk much more than I’d planned. I even took a long break at mile 43 to let things settle, which helped—but the lost time really set me back.


By the time I reached the mile 69 aid station, I realized I was cutting it close to the cutoff. There was a tough, technical downhill section in the dark just before it, but I kept moving and barely made it through in time. Thankfully, after that, my stomach started to feel better. I put my head down, stayed focused, and finished the race—just half an hour before the final cutoff.


It wasn’t the race I’d envisioned, but I finished. I got the buckle. And I’m proud of that.