Last August, I ran my first 50K—the Bulldog Ultra. It was, by far, the most difficult thing I’ve ever done, both physically and mentally. At the start of the year, the idea of running that far in the hills felt like a stretch—I simply didn’t think I could do it. But as the months went on, I became more intrigued by the idea of pushing my body and mind beyond what I thought I was capable of.
Up until then, my running experience was pretty limited. I had run a road half marathon basically off the couch and a trail half the summer before with little training. This time, I had a good friend coaching me through the process, which was a massive help. Endurance running was completely new to me, so having someone in my corner made all the difference. Plus, it kept me accountable.
The course was two loops—a total mind game. I finished the first loop in three hours and felt good, but not long after, I started cramping badly on the climb. From there, it was a constant battle with cramps. The thing I’m most proud of? The thought of stopping never crossed my mind. It simply wasn’t an option.
I'm incredibly grateful to my family for supporting me through the long, unpredictable training schedule—early mornings before the sun rose, late-night workouts, and weekend runs that pulled me away from them. More than anything, I wanted to show my kids that hard things are worth taking on and that challenges aren’t meant to be avoided, but embraced. Through it all, they stood by me 100%, and my biggest motivation to finish was knowing they’d be there at the finish line.
KETL Gear Used:
Race Stats:
Distance: 29.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 5,784 feet
