My First Ultra Marathon~ 55k ! — Hike to the Heart

An ULTRA Marathon…..

One of the craziest things I’ve ever done!

Super Human in my own world!

So…….. of course after Thru-hiking the 2,192 miles on the Appalachian Trail this year, I wanted a way to keep up my endurance, have “me” time, and be out on a trail and in nature….So I started Trail Running this past August on my return back to Tucson! Before I left for the Appalachian Trail I could maybe run 2 miles and I thought most possibly I was going to die. It felt super uncomfortable and although I ran cross country in high school…ya know about 18 years ago, I really thought I did not like running! But I got home from the trail and I just wanted to see how far I could run just for fun. I ran 10 miles. The only other time I ran was one day in Pennsylvania on the trail while I was “slack packed” with a lighter day pack and I ran 13 miles over rocks and up and down mountains! It had felt good to move my body in a more dynamic way than hiking every single day. I then had a vision that perhaps when I returned from trail I would try trail running or something like that….??? I mean OK, I did a 10k last year with my circus crew on stilts but that was just silliness!

I got on the Arizona Trail and just went for it! All I needed was some new trail running shoes…we all know I went through 5 pairs of trail runners on the Appalachian Trail so I wasn’t too jazzed to get yet another pair of trail runners but hey it’s part of trail running, you have to have shoes! I got myself a water hydration pack and then there I was running around, all by myself, back on a trail again. Most mornings I would drive out to the Arizona Trail and be out before the sun came up and witness the beautiful sunrise and the cool, crisp morning desert weather that was soon changing into the dry heat that we have here way past normal summertime…It is the Sonoran Desert by all means! I refused to run on pavement, I was determined to stay on trails and just do my thing on trails. It was my own thing. I was out in nature and only had a tiny pack and was running. It sort of felt super human. I met some super friendly trail runners out on the trail and everyone asked if I was going to do the Colassal Vail 50/50 Trail Running Race in November. I was like “ a race?” Now I don’t even know about all that! Heck I could barely hike with folks because it made me anxious and the thought of working out on a trail and racing….hmmmmm. Not sure but I looked it up and saw that there was a 1/2 marathon, a 55k ( 34 miles or so), and the 50 miler. So in my WILD nature and a big ol’ YOLO I thought about it and with all my knowledge and inexperience of running ( because I had never even ran a 1/2 marathon…) I thought I will just live wild and sign up for an ultra 55k because it just seemed craZy. And I did just thru- hike the Appalachian Trail where I spent every single day hiking on some grueling terrain and constantly changing weather conditions for 5 months so what could I lose?

Training and running on the Arizona Trail!

I have tried to be dedicated to trail running and with that it takes long hours to do long miles and that’s not always realistic in my world. I am a nurse and work long shifts and night shifts at that. Some weeks I would only run once or twice. The most I had ran on the trail was 20 miles and then two weeks before the race I only ran once for 5 miles. I was stretching and doing yoga and my circus thing at Cirque Roots but what was going to happen?

My good friend and hiking partner from the trail, Nik ( a.k.a PonyKeG ) and I had been motivating each other with running since being off trail. We would talk running, talk about distance, how we did and all the things. I told him I wanted to try an Ultra Race and that it was on the Arizona Trail and he too was on board! He flew out here and we had both officially signed up for this race! ( I had no doubts that he could do it because he’s a bad-ass hiker and a devoted runner and doing long distances and he’s tough both mentally and physically ) I made us some fun running hats so that we could be on our own” laugh a lots” team and be silly like we had always been on the trail! And of course he ran in a onesie! He wore a onesie on trail for 1200 miles everyday! It was funny and good reminder to not take things so seriously!

So here I am minutes before the race….. in my head I’m thinking maybe I should demote myself and just do the 1/2 marathon and then there I am, the race has started. Within the first 1/2 mile up a steep incline and into the mountains I go…. I knew then just like the first mile of being on the Appalachian Trail that I would finish. I would run the 34 miles, I felt it. I knew it was going to be a mental game and I was prepared! The first 11 miles were great, they were ok, the 19 mile marker things seemed a little funny and it was getting hotter and steeper, PonyKeg then took off at a faster pace, run your own race of course, and then there was the 23 mile marker where my stomach started to feel a little funny and I was excited to reach 26 miles for my first marathon distance ever, 29 miles and I was drinking pickle juice starting to feel super human, the 31 mile marker was like “ whoa and wow,” and then 33 miles I was in a full outer body experience it seemed…. how was this physical body of mine still moving? I felt detached from my legs and they were just moving and at the same time I felt so powerful and so human and so in my body and SO ALIVE! I literally was blissed out and thanking my body and my heart! Then running down into the canyon for that last 1/2 mile to the finish line…. WOW!!! There I was at 34 miles, 8 hours and 18 minutes of running and still standing. ( although when they took my picture I thought my legs were noodles…) I wasn’t first, I wasn’t the fastest and I didn’t care! I cared that I had the courage and trust to just try it and have the experience! I was so proud of myself! I knew deep down inside that I could do it!

*** One funny haha from the trail was that I told another runner that she was amazing and a bad-ass while were were running and I then tripped on a rock and just bit it on the trail right in front of her! I was so embarrassed and then had a bloody knee and hand and well…the race must go on! haha! It was straight outta a funny bloopers video or something. It made me laugh though over and over again on the trail. I’m such a goof. I was humbled.***

It truly was an amazing experience. I loved being on a trail and involved in the trail running community. Everyone was so cool and so nice. Everyone was “ getting high” off of endurance and being so ALIVE! Everyone cheered each other on and motivated each other! People were out there to just do their best and have that experience. I surely had an experience! I am stronger at 36 years old than I have ever been in my life! And I LOVE that! We are only here for such a short period of time in this lifetime really and I find JOY in pushing myself and discovering what this human shell can pull off and endure! I think of my mom often and seek out her strength. She guides me and inspires me even though she is not here physically. I think of people that might never have the opportunity to push-it per say. I am honored to navigate the true potential of my human body and my mind. It was a complete mind game and a moment of new self discovery! I love to adventure and explore and that is exactly what I did. I got to explore my heart even deeper.

I encourage you all to do things you LOVE everyday even if it feels scary or there is the fear of failure! That’s exciting and it can all be a catalyst to becoming a better you! I feel this way and am so thankful to love to live!

I’m not sure what’s next but I bet you can find me running some more trails, laughing and learning about myself and hopefully Thru- Hiking the Arizona Trail this March. I am thankful to be in the space I am in and grateful for everyone’s love and support!

XOXO,

MOONEY