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Wacky weather greeted runners on race day with light rain dampening the early miles on this 50-mile loop. Made up of mostly of unpaved fire roads in central Pennsylvania’s Rothrock State Forest, the course received a few rays of sunlight after the rain subsided in the afternoon.
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The inaugural Devil’s Gulch 36-miler gave me butterflies, which was a sign that I was in the right place at the right time. As the race began, the first two miles had me unsure of what I had signed up for. However, the next 22 miles would surely change my mind.
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All Swiss Alps 100 race distances run along the longest glacier in the Swiss Alps, the 14-mile-long Aletsch glacier, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. It’s a true privilege to be there. Along the way, there are three suspension bridges, a big dam, many small villages and even cows to feast your eyes on.
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Utah’s mountain weather can be quite variable, but rarely as unpredictable as this year’s run. The Wasatch Range suckered runners into its lair with modest warnings and a beautiful morning. A 30% chance of precipitation was in the forecast: some rain perhaps, maybe some wind thrown in, too. So, what could go wrong?
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I’ve never experienced aid stations like those at Twisted Branch. It was as if I had a giant surrogate crew that conveyed care and encouragement which is hard to put into words. Throughout the day, I was filled with a sense of gratitude and camaraderie to an extent I’ve never experienced in a race before, and found myself dedicating segments of my run to the people most important to me.
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Within a mile, I was among new friends. Everyone was chatting. Laughing. I looked around and remembered the family of the ultramarathon. These are my people. From that first mile, Ouray didn’t feel like “me versus you.” It was us against the mountain. Us against the weather. Us against our feelings and us against our fatigue. Each one of us won the race we were running. Not every victory is on the podium.
