The Denver urgent-care doctor held a needle against my big toe.
You look apprehensive, he said after telling me that the pain would only last a minute.
The irony made me laugh.
Courtesy of Taylor Nowlin
Theres no way it could hurt worse than running and hiking on an infected foot for 60-odd miles.
Go for it, I said.
It was the 2017 Leadville 100-Mile Trail Run.
Courtesy of Taylor Nowlin
But these endurance challenges have been growing in popularity across the country over the last four decades.
Despite this growth, ultra races are still pretty niche.
I used to print off race applications and leave them at the local running stores.
Courtesy of Taylor Nowlin
“Now, races fill up in a day and they are also more prevalent.
Iskied, snowboarded, and danced as a kid.
In college, I started backpacking, backcountry snowboarding, and hiking Colorados 14,000-foot peaks.
I also ran casually but wasn’t competitive.
I started signing up for races to just spend time with other active people and have new experiences.
My first-ever running race was the Colorado Half Marathon in 2010.
My interest in trail running rapidly snowballed.
In the beginning of 2016, I signed up for the Leadville Trail Marathon.
I loved everything about my training.
They were all training for ultra-distance races.
(Note: Training for a 100-mile race is more complicated than simply increasing mileage each week.)
To me, that sounded awesomebut I was still not convinced that I had the physical ability.
The three-day Leadville Trail 100 Run Camp focused onrunning in the mountains.
Two trail marathons in the same week?
What if my body revolted in exhaustion?
Would I hold up the group?
I pictured a school bus full of runners potentially waiting for hours for me to finish.
I finally decided,Screw it.
I had to start somewhere.
At camp, more gears clicked into place.
My body felt great following the trail marathon.
exploring landscapes by foot.
As supportive as my nonrunner friends tried to be, they couldnt relate to my new interest.
To them, and most people I talked to, ultrarunning was crazy.
In hindsight, it was unrealistic to think I could jump into a 100-mile racebut I entertained the thought.
We started talking about how I could possibly secure a spot.
The lottery for a set number of registration slots opens each December the year prior to the race.
I feel at home at high altitude, though.
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The finishing rate has always hovered at close to half.
What took me out was a toe infection.
My nail became swollen and bowed up like a harp.
As I continued, my foot went from tender to excruciating.
The sensations swung between being prodded by pins and needles and pounded by a jackhammer.
There was no other option.
In the end, I had ran/hiked a total of around 64 miles.
My personal growth and perception of the world has always been interwoven with landmark experiences in the mountains.
It grounds me from the uncertainties of the past or future, and I feel like a kid again.
When I uncover my strength to overcome obstacles in the natural world, lifes day-to-day challenges feel easier.
