What a wild ride. We kicked things off at 4:19 AM on May 17—The anniversary of my Pacific Crest Trail start two years ago. A fitting nod to another monumental adventure.
The first 20 miles felt incredible. I was flying… maybe a bit too much. My first mile clocked in at 6:55, which in hindsight was way too aggressive for a 135-mile effort. But the miles were coming easily early on, and momentum carried me through the first stretch.
Things took a turn around mile 70, when I stopped to change shoes. Almost instantly, my quad tightened up badly. From mile 80 onward, running became nearly impossible. I switched to a mix of walking and slow jogging, trying to hold on and keep moving forward.
The trail had its challenges, but the experience was unforgettable. One especially surreal moment came at mile 103, when a mountain lion jumped out of the woods at me and my pacer Brandon. It wasn’t scared of us at all. We had to call our crew to rush over and help scare it off.
There’s room for improvement on this route and a lot I learned for next time, but I’m proud of how I managed to finish despite the setbacks. None of this would have been possible without my incredible crew—thank you for showing up and grinding it out right alongside me.
Keep your eyes out for the documentary about this effort, coming soon.