Headlands 50k

7 years later, I toed the line again at the Headlands 50K.

This race will always hold a special place for me - it wasn’t only my first ultra but also my first marathon. My goal this time was sub 6 hours and with the course shortened by 1.8 miles, that box got checked rather easily.

What stuck with me wasn’t the finish time - it was reflecting on the distance between who I was 7 years ago and who I am today. Work, love, life - each has its own ups and downs and each feels like an ultra. If you stay relentlessly committed to what you pour your energy into, sooner or later, something meaningful comes of it.

Running with Matt Gaide has been part of that growth. We joke about who will beat who, but truthfully, I wouldn’t be the runner - or the individual - I am today without his constant push. Before the climb up Miwok out of Tennessee Valley he threw out, “You’ll have to put in the effort to beat me.” So I did. Couldn't ask for a better running buddy. Good luck on the 18 miler tomorrow.

The Headlands 50k is also a launching pad for so many first timers and it’s one hell of a first ultra. I can’t forget Sarah - 50ish years old, running her first ultra, in tears at the finish line because she was simply grateful I’d been kind to her on the trail and shared a few tips about the course. Sometimes that’s all it takes to touch someone’s heart. Next time you race, take a moment to talk to the person beside you - you might change their whole experience.

As cliche as it sounds: live, laugh, love and keep moving forward.