"I lift my eyes to the mountains, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2
- RACE DATE: Saturday, June 27th 2026
- DISTANCE: 100.2
- START TIME: 5AM PDT
- TIME LIMIT: 30 hours
- RUNNERS STARTING: 369
- START: Olympic Valley, California
- FINISH: Placer High School Track, Auburn, California
- START ELEVATION: 6,200 feet
- TOTAL CLIMBING: 18,000 feet
- TOTAL DESCENT: 23,000 feet
Race Morning Conditions: Temperatures at 5am start, 43 degrees, with 60mph wind gusts. They shut the tram down.
I couldn't get my nerves to settle. Sleeping escaped me but I was peacefully rested when my 3:30am alarm went off. 2 hours of sleep and multiple conversations with the Lord. Maybe that was exactly where he wanted me, up all night in prayer.
I would be starting the race completely empty and fully relying on a voice bigger than my own.
My crew would have their work cut out for them, keeping Anita awake, keeping her from falling off the canyons and not drowning in Rucky Chucky. We were going to have so much fun!
This made vomiting and pooping my pants seem so miniscule.
With all my clothes laid out the night before, I had to create my "Flat Racing Anita" WSER edition! I got dressed, headed downstairs for coffee, and forced down my breakfast. I managed a full bagel with cream cheese, and a banana, this was the most I have eaten for breakfast in months. But I knew I had to do the very thing I didn't want to, my body needed all the extra. I had even put on 4 lbs for the race.
The four of us headed quietly, all half-awake to Olympic Valley. The dark mountain sky came alive with the runners' names and bib numbers projected across the mountainside. It was an incredible sight and the perfect reminder that this wasn't just another race. WSER did EVERYTHING next level. I felt all the things, all at once and swallowed back a hurricane of emotions.
We arrived into the large lot with music echoing through the mountains. Olympic Valley was alive with energy.
Even though I was surrounded by hundreds of voices, excitement and nervous energy, I had never felt so alone.
Everything around me appeared so enormous compared to how small I felt. Hidden in the darkness. Overshadowed by the magnitude of the moment.
Overwhelmed by emotion. Anxious for what lay ahead over the next 30 hours. It took everything I had to just BREATHE.
I didn't want Andy to leave me as he faded into the shadows, I stood invisible amongst the hundreds. The only place I found comfort...was in prayer.
That's when everything changed....
Into the High Country (Miles 0-30)
Five O'clock on the dot....and we were off.
I started near the back of the pack, turns out I was the back, one of the last runners. Andy told me he would be on my left, this would be the last time I would see him for hours, even longer than I had planned. This vacancy would be harder than the mountains I would climb.
I knew I was overdressed, but I also knew what was waiting for us. We were climbing into higher elevations with wind gusts approaching 60 mph, and I had no interest in being cold. I would rather peel off layers than spend the morning shivering.
Climb ON.
Olympic Valley to Robinson Flat
From the very first steps, my hiking poles were in my hands. They weren't just a piece of gear; they quickly became an extension of me. Like Inspector Gadget, "Go go trekking poles'! Every climb, every rocky step, every gust of wind...they were there, my poles steadied me as I made climbed on.
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| 5:51am |
The first 5 miles were relentless forward motion. There was no running. I knew I had to maintain a sub 18min/mi. but I had heard that once you get out of High Country you would be able to run.
I also knew in order to keep myself from getting sick, I needed to keep my heart rate down.
I also knew I needed to eat and drink as much as I could while I still felt good.
Sometimes, it doesn't matter what you know, you know you are going to dig deep, accept the elements of the unknown and don't forget your "WHY".
The Escarpment- Emigrant Pass
The mountain had a mouthpiece. The closer I got to the top, the louder the voices got. Spectators cascaded all over the trail as I came closer to Emigrant pass.
This would top off my first major climb: 4.5 miles, climbing 2,550 feet. For a total of 8,750 feet of elevation.
6:09am
As I crested the climb, I was received with shouts and cheers "LET'S Go ANITA!!" The voices carried me up the ridge with pure joy.
This would be the first landmark that would take residence in my heart forever. Climbing that mountain was a humble reminder of my fragility. It didn't own me, but it definitely reminded me of what a pipsqueak I am.
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6:22am This would be the last time I would have my sunglasses.... |
Lyon Ridge-10.3 miles
"IS THIS WHAT HEAVEN LOOKS LIKE? I THINK IT IS."
At the top of that mountain, I discovered what I believed Heaven would look like. And as if I was the only one that mountain, I expressed my faith with the words of Heaven. The sky was endless with the mountain peaks connecting majestically. The pines scattered stoically. The trail forged almost invisible, deeply weathered in the wild and untamed forest.
This is how I met Tina. Tina and I would run back and forth through Lyons Ridge. Tina was from California; it was her 3rd Western States. She wanted a buckle for each of her 3 kids.
Tina embraced my visual of Heaven on earth. My faith didn't scare her, it encouraged her. She heard me encouraging every runner I came in contact with. I had no idea that I had made such an impact on her. She would share that I brought her to tears sharing my glimpse of Heaven in my breathless hike up that unyielding trail.
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| All smiles, all the aid love. |
I was taken back when coming into the aid stations, I had NEVER experienced the personal, hands-on care that you received. You had your own personal care. They came directly to you and calling you by name aided you for every need you had. It was red carpet service.
Red Star Ridge -15.8 mile
We had a small river crossing. I was running with a group of guys, all of them focused on surviving the terrain. Small pockets of conversations but everyone was focused on the trail, carefully picking their way over the rocks. It was obvious that everyone was wrapped up in their own race, it wasn't unfriendly it was just quiet.
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| Several of these creek crossings. 12:01pm |
When we reached one of the creek crossings it was obvious we were going to get our shoes wet. But I still had hopes. My hopes of dry shoes came crashing as hard as I did! My poles got tangled in the rocks and I slipped. My foot ricocheted off one wet rock onto another. My poles went in the air as I lost my balance, and I landed sideways and submerged in the icy water. I accessed myself with gratitude as I made it to my feet, and chuckled as I found myself all alone again on the mountain.
All men for themselves.
I got a text from Andy right after I fell checking on me to see if I was OK. I expressed I fell and lost my favorite sunglasses and he replied, " Sounds good. I love you and your doing great. If you can start running some of these downhills or flats, I would..."
I saw that text and just laughed. I had been trying to stay in zone 2 and my heart rate was camping in zone 3 and tapping into 4. I had no idea that everyone was tracking me and I was barely making my times. Andy was concerned. My finishing percentage was 67%. Ignorance is bliss.
But Tina and I reunited and ran close to one another all the way to Duncan Canyon. Tina shared all the hard places I would be running. She lovingly like a parent described all the areas I needed to know about. Preparing me, coaching me. Her voice was so settling. She was my trail angel. The Lord's voice was echoing from every detail she gave me. I knew she was a gift from God to settle me down.
Duncan Canyon-24.4
heading into Duncan canyon I received random clusters of text messages one from Andy, " I am so sorry. I am not gonna be able to make that aid station. I will see you at Robinson Flat. The 30-mile mark."
It was almost 1pm. 8 hours, another aid station and no family. I had been running solo again. I found myself yelling in the woods when I thought I was lost or maybe just lonely. I got so rattled, between the bear scatt and all-encompassing mountain landscape I found myself in tight trails and not a soul to be seen. I even yelled "MARCO" loudly when I was by myself, afraid I might have taken a wrong turn.
Btw, no one answered. But I met a man wearing a Lions hat around mile 20. Gary Nichols, a true Lions fan. He was from Michigan but lived in Kentucky. We chatted for a few miles, I tried to encourage him but he breathlessly told me our journey needed to end, He told me to go ahead without him. My heart broke for him as I heard his spirit was fading and I couldn't help him.
Robinson Flat-30.3
By the time I reached Robinson Flat, I was a blubbering mess. Cowbells echoed through the trees. The spectators lined the trail, cheering, clapping and calling out my name. The energy was electric.
But my eyes were searching for Andy. I was depleted. Dirty. Hot. The morning layers now over 9 hours were suffocating me under the afternoon sun. I needed Andy to help me shed some layers.
But more than that...
I needed a hug.
The more I heard the crowd cheering me on, the more I felt the tears welling up. Not because I wanted to quit, but because of the magnitude of what I had already accomplished. In the middle of all the noise, all the excitement, all the strangers, I needed my person.
And with the most welcoming smile there he was calling my name.
I fell into Andys arms like a wet noodle.
He was quick to access me, help me remove clothing. unwind me and quiet my heart. I had so much to share but my words came out in bursts.
"...its so hard..."
"beautiful..so beautiful..."
"I'm ok...my stomach is starting to turn..."
Andys had me sit for a few, and told me "It's way to early for your belly to be sick." Even though he was stating the truth, it did not change the obvious.
He didn't keep me around for long. He gently coaxed me into running more. Even though I was going into the canyons shortly the temps were still cool.
Andy had been watching my times and was very concerned about how close I still was to the aid station cut-offs. He informed me I would get to see the girls before going into the canyons and that gave my heart an extra beat of excitement.
I hated to go, but my love tank was recharged, and I knew I had a mission to fulfill.
Next stop: the Canyons.
The Rundown:
With over 30 miles under my belt, my body still felt solid. From this point I knew I was 1/4 of the way through, this is how I was breaking it up.
I had regained my composure and was intrigued at what the Canyons would share. I was still wearing my pants, but I was now down to just a long sleeve shirt. With full sun, I knew I would be heating up but I also needed to protect my body from the elements.
I had been eating at all the aid stations, intentionally trying to keep calories in. The elevation had finally caught up with me. I couldn't get my heart rate to settle, and my belly was turning sour. I had drank plenty of fluids and prayed I could hold out and get through the Canyons where the altitude would begin declining.
I had not trained for 6 months to let a little sour stomach get me. I had been preparing my whole life to get through this. The Lord had given me this experience because He had prepared me. That was my truth, and I knew, all the suffering I had endured conditioned me to run this race.
Swallow it all back, or vomited it out, but smile and keep going. I was getting to do what so many had always dreamed of doing.
I had run over 8 hours, across rugged terrain, over bear scatt the size of Texas, with views that looked like Heaven on earth and adventures to last a lifetime. But I still had 60 miles to go.
High Country taught me that strength isn't found at the top of the climb, but in taking your thoughts captive.
The mountains reminded me that the One who made them was carrying me too.
And I would need Him more than ever for the canyons....
In Peace, Not Pieces,
Anita
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