100 mile ultra adventure

“I am just going to keep moving and finish” i say to the race director as he drives by me on the course after telling me they are packing up. Yep…last one. just me. walking…crawling forward. I came here to move 100miles, and as long as I am vertical and moving forward I am going to keep going to the finish line. It was slow and steady, my ankles + feet on fire from the swelling and sooo so sore. Honey was walking in front of me as a guide post. I would cry + pray + laugh + move. That’s it..to the finish. And when I got there…the TEAM met me with open arms + tears + love….wow…done. check. victory. 100 miles. And how awesome: the race director stayed an extra 2 hours (the official cut-off time was 28 hours) to gift me my buckle…100 miles: 30 hours ✔ He wrote down my time and is putting me on the roster as a FINISHER! tears. gratitude. goodness. the world is good.

It takes a village to raise a child, well, it takes a village to run 100 miles. A team supporting & feeding & nourishing your body and sole to move in the sun, in the dark, and then the sun again. Friends providing light + laughter in the dark. Verses + songs + stories to pass time. Brother bear & I stayed together for 80 miles…at which point I could no longer run and told him to go get that buckle! He rocked those miles to the end….and I came through in his spirit. Fighting does’t always look fierce + hard + ugly…it can be soft + slow + beautiful. especially when love surrounds you when you go to battle.

And the best part…as I wobble into the kitchen this morning, my daughter says: “mommy, I am glad you didn’t quit.” Me too baby girl. Me too.

With that being said: I honor everyone out there who fought the battle and shared their soles on the run. It was a wild + crazy ride with strong courageous people who believe in MORE. More miles. More heart. More life. Some do it alone (wow.wow.wow.) and others (like me) have a crew. The ironhorse ultra run is like family to me….strangers, runners, crazies, friends, family all connected by a delicate strand of love and respect.

xoxo
Nikki.