My journey to Leadville has been quite an adventure. I stumbled into the world of ultra running after watching a documentary on Courtney Dauwalter completing the infamous Leadville 100 trail race. To say the least, it was inspiring. So inspiring that in December 2019, I decided to take a chance and entered the Leadville Lottery. Up to that point, the furthest I’d ever run was a marathon, and I’d completed three full Ironman triathlons. But I was ready for another challenge.
Believe it or not, I got into Leadville on my very first lottery attempt—which, from what I’d heard, was almost unheard of. Even crazier, my husband got in too. I took it as a sign: we were meant to take on this challenge together. It was an incredible feeling, but also a challenging time for my family because my grandfather was sick, and we knew he didn’t have much time left. During my training, he passed away, and I promised him at his funeral that I would complete Leadville for him. He always admired my tenacity and loved hearing about my races—he thought it was so cool! That promise became my motivation.
So, on August 16, 2020, I lined up for Leadville, feeling prepared and confident. Living in Texas, I had trained all summer, completed multiple 50- and 70-mile races, and even slept in a special tent for a month to help acclimate to the altitude. I thought I’d done everything possible. But when race day came, things didn’t go as planned. I overdressed, and by mile six, I was already overheating and struggling with blisters. Then, Mini Mount Elbert stole my spirit. At mile 40, the volunteers took my chip, and my race was over.
It was my first time not finishing a race, and it hit hard. Tears streamed down my face; I felt like I’d let everyone down, especially myself. Deep down, I knew I hadn’t given it everything. My training had some gaps—my speed work, my hill work. Those little things made all the difference. When I got home, I analyzed every part of my race and knew I had unfinished business.
In May 2023, I set out to complete my own 100-mile race at a local park in Houston. I started at 4:00 AM, in the rain, and 27 hours later, I crossed my own finish line. That experience sparked something in me, so I kept going. In 2024, I completed the Rocky Raccoon 100-miler and the grueling Habanero 100. Each race was a test, and neither was easy, but I finished them both.
Then, I noticed the Austin Rattler 50K was coming up—a Leadville qualifier and lottery event. I signed up, hoping maybe, just maybe, Leadville was still in the cards. On November 2, 2024, I crossed the finish line at the Rattler and entered the drawing. When the announcer called out my bib number, 707, it felt like Christmas morning. I ran up like a kid in a candy store and grabbed my gold coin. I was in. This time was going to be different. This race was mine to finish, and I knew my grandpa was right there with me, smiling from above. He was going to see me cross that “Race Across the Sky.”
Comentários