“How many miles do you think Pablo has?” I asked fellow 72-hour competitor Katie at New Jersey’s 3 Days at the Fair who quickly looked up the results on her phone: “According to live tracking, Pablo’s at 96 miles.” I drew a sigh of relief because I knew there wasn’t enough time to complete four more laps around the one-mile loop before the race ended.
We rounded the final corner of the loop and made our way along the red brick section of the course towards the timing station. Dozens of runners and spectators were standing around and cheering on the finishers. We were two of the last runners still on the course.
Race director, Rick McNulty, looked at the electronic timing board as Pablo’s name came up and said, “Pablo has 100 miles, congratulations!” As my eyes snapped to the timing screen, I murmured, “What did he just say?” The live results must not have updated to the website – “Pablo’s Run” had just logged his 100th mile. I then looked at the time and saw there was just over 12 minutes left in the race – plenty of time for one more lap.
“Shit!” I uttered under by breath and took off as fast as I could. Seeing my panic, Katie, who had walked the previous lap with me, was hot on my heels. My average moving pace per mile for this race was just under 20 minutes, now, my final lap needed to be faster than 12.
NJ Trail Series does things a little differently than other races. Normally you’d get a belt buckle for completing a 100-mile race, however, they want you to work harder at their events. At 3 Days at the Fair, you need to get 101 miles to receive a belt buckle. The same is true for other distances like 202, 303, 404 and beyond. Right now, Pablo’s Run was at 100 miles, and it was going to take everything I had to get him to 101 – to get him that belt buckle.
Pablo Espinosa has been a staple at 3 Days at the Fair for over 15 years. Making the journey all the way from Montreal, Quebec, Pablo and his wife, Kelly, have become woven into the 3 Days family. From the early days, when the course was only .8576 miles long, to the introduction of the 72, 144 and 240-hour races, they’ve been part of it all.
Pablo is an amazing athlete, runner and friend. He’s been named twice to the Canadian 24-hour National Team, won many races with first-places finishes at the 72-hour event at Across the Years and 144-hour event at Icarus Florida Ultra Fest. One of his most impressive feats was notching a world record for distance on a treadmill. He ran 1,336 miles over the course of 30 days, which averages just over 44.5 miles a day.
Pablo always brings his larger-than-life personality and positivity to the race. He’s constantly talking to everyone on the course offering words of encouragement, or advice on everything from nutrition to foot care. He always has a story to share which makes the miles pass faster…happier. He’s quick to laugh and has a joke for every occasion. No matter how often you see him, Pablo is one of those people where you can always pick up right where you left off.
Pablo is a man of ambition, focus and determination. For as carefree and friendly as he is, he’s equally competitive. He wants to win. He’s driven to put forth his best effort, run hard and log serious miles. He pushes himself through training to reach loftier goals because he wants to be the best runner possible.
Pablo’s goals came to a screeching halt earlier this year. After several weeks of not being able to eat or digest food, he was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer that spread from his stomach to his colon, kidneys and lungs. With no possibility for treatment, he was given just two weeks to live.
The news was devastating to Pablo, Kelly and their children. Shockwaves were felt through the ultrarunning community as we learned about his diagnosis. A Go Fund Me page was created and provides updates on his progress, as well as asking for donations to assist with bills related to treatment.
By the grace of God and a little bit of luck, Pablo has been accepted into a clinical trial with an experimental drug that will hopefully give him more time – time to heal, time to live and time to run. This treatment is not guaranteed to cure him, but it does give him a shot. Any chance, no matter how small, is all that Pablo needs.
This year at 3 Days at the Fair, all the runners in the field took turns running a lap for Pablo. A picture of Pablo was taped to a pickleball paddle, and a timing chip was attached to the handle. Everyone who knows and loves Pablo had the chance to run a lap for him. The entire field rallied and responded with miles. Over the course of the race, runners from every event held the paddle and ran a lap for our beloved friend.
Pablo has a way of getting you to run another lap. Whether he’d make a joke or offer encouragement, Pablo has a knack of getting you out of the chair and back on the course. He’s one of the greatest motivators I’ve ever known and as I made my way along the course, I had to smile. Here he was again, pushing me to run another lap.
The last mile I ran was one of my fastest. Katie and I made our way along the course we were all too familiar with. For as tired and exhausted as I felt, I know Pablo feels it more. For as much as I was fighting for time, so is Pablo. We made our way to the finish line with 90 seconds to spare. Together, the field of 3 Days at the Fair helped Pablo run 101 miles, enough to earn him his belt buckle.
At the conclusion of 3 Days, the race offers a pancake breakfast during the awards ceremony. Place finishers as well as lifetime milestone awards are presented. After many hugs and congratulations, everyone packed up their tents and were off, back to normal lives. While our run has ended, Pablo’s run has only just begun.
Everything Pablo has ever done as a runner is now helping him fight the cancer in his body. Every day, several times a day, Pablo walks on the treadmill, moving his body the best he can. He always makes time for miles. Walking keeps his body strong and keeps him alive.
The hardest part of running at 3 Days isn’t the distance but knowing you can stop at any time. Every lap around the course, you pass your tent and sleeping bag. Nothing on Earth is easier than succumbing to exhaustion and going to bed, but Pablo doesn’t have that luxury. Pablo can’t take a day off and can’t drop from this race.
Right now, Pablo is running the longest and hardest ultramarathon of his life. Every day for Pablo is like day six of a six-day race. For as tired and exhausted as he feels, Pablo continues to fight. At the end of the day, he doesn’t earn a belt buckle, he earns more time with his family, friends and loved ones. To our dear friend Pablo, we love you, we believe in you and we’re running this lap for you.