The Leaky Hourglass Ultra in Halfway, Missouri, features the standard 4.167-mile loop used by most last person standing events, but this one has a daunting twist: one minute is subtracted after each lap. On August 30, I traveled more than 3 hours for my second attempt at this unique race format.
I wanted to come back after walking away with the assist in 2024 for several reasons: 1) to try and win 2) to have a reunion with some newly made friends from last year 3) the phenomenal volunteers who take care of crewing and provide genuine enthusiasm for every runner and 4) for the food! From fresh coffee and homemade cinnamon rolls to grilled cheeseburgers and pickle protein wraps, it was worth the 3-hour drive for the food alone.
The setup was simple but effective. We started out at race director Gary Shaw’s home where we could park and set up our canopies. He gave a motivational yet comical pre-race briefing that left no questions unanswered, including simple advice, “Die on the course, not in your chair.”
The route was fairly hilly, with approximately 250 feet of elevation gain per loop on a blacktop country highway. Spots of shade were few and far between, but it was mostly cloudy on race day anyway. The views on this loop were breathtaking from sunrise to sunset, with happy cows and farmhouses as far as the eye could see.
Happy cows on the course. Photo: Rick Mayo / Mile 90 Photography
I ran the first 66.672 miles with my boyfriend, Terry, best characterized as “a man of few words.” As someone who is quite the opposite, I tend toward the chatty side while running. Despite the fresh country air and animals watching, the miles became agonizingly boring, and thoughts of quitting constantly plagued my brain several hours into the race. As I was contemplating dropping, I realized that I was losing the psychological battle, so I let my mind wander a bit.
My original goal was to beat my mileage from last year (75.006 miles), but as we left the starting line for lap 17 in the dark with only three of us left, I realized I had a shot of winning. My psychological state changed from, “Is it over yet?” to establishing my position as the leader. I ran every bit of those hills with controlled effort to ensure I was finishing comfortably ahead of the cutoff time. My right knee and hip were giving me some pain, but nothing I couldn’t handle.
Just two of us remained going into lap 20, with a 41-minute cutoff. I took off from the start line with as much power and confidence as I could muster. If there was any chance that the other runner was on the line about quitting, I wanted to show that whatever he had left, I had more. As I hit the halfway turnaround, plus about another half mile or so, I saw him walking. Tears welled in my eyes as we passed each other, knowing that he was too far back to finish on time.
In the pitch black of night with about 0.4 miles to go, the finish line light stood out like a lighthouse in the sea, and I gave it my all until I crossed that line. Sweating profusely while sitting comfortably in my chair, I watched the clock tick away as everyone else stared down that dark stretch of highway, looking for any sign of the remaining headlamp.
My entire body was exhausted from running over 83 miles in almost 17 hours that day, yet friends, crew and other runners around me made me feel like I was on top of the world. With the help of some friendly motivation, a mental reset, great crewing and a constant supply of food, I was able to break my previous female record from 2024, tie the course record (83.34 miles) and become the first woman to win the Leaky Hourglass Ultra.
Host and RD Gary Shaw did an amazing job with this race, making it feel so personal and inclusive, along with the volunteer crew going beyond expectations. I am also very thankful to Terry; despite not being much of a talker, he was also my biggest supporter and motivator when I needed it the most.
Full results here.