I just finished an ultra.

Running an ultra is something I have been thinking about for 3 years. My friend Josh Gum planted the idea in my head. ‘You do NOT have to run fast — you just have to run far.’ I am never going to be speedy. But stubbornly refusing to give up once I set my mind on something? Yeah that’s right up my alley. 🙂

I have been focused on training for this event for most of this year. I picked the North Face Endurance Challenge in San Francisco.  It was a 50K, which is a 31 mile trail run. There were some pretty good hills and a TON of mud. It was perfect.

I had the BEST day!

This was an AMAZING day!

Yes… I am a little sore. And little hungry. And totally ready to do another one!

It feel so good to have been focused on a big goal for a long time, done all the hard work, put in the time to make it happen and to finally see it come to life right before your eyes.

I ran the entire race with my friend Jeff Sherman.  (The one I talk into anything?  Yeah… That guy!)  BOTH of us — this was our first ultra.

My coach Spencer was there at the finish line.

Spencer helped me get here.

This is NO small feat. We have been working together for the past 18 months. He has seen the good, the bad, the ugly, the temper tantrums, the success and the progress. He has built me into a runner.  And I got to test all of our hard work on the hills north of San Francisco this weekend.

It was FANTASTIC!

And to top it all off? I was surrounded by a group of people who have been part of this dream and adventure from the start. We were all together.

I finally GOT to run an ultra.

Now I have to figure out what I GET to do next… 🙂