Healing from the Inside Out

A story of devastation and comeback at the TransRockies

published in TrailRunner Magazine April 2, 2013

Photo courtesy of Neways Shoreline Trail, Salt Lake City, Utah

In August 2011, I drove from my home in Salt Lake City, Utah, to race TransRockies Run6, a six-day, 120-mile stage race across the Colorado Rockies. Riding high from my fifth overall XTERRA Worlds finish, an age-group World Champion title in trail running and new road PRs in the 10K and half-marathon, I was excited for the challenge.

As a single mother working full time as a massage therapist, endurance coach and yoga teacher, I spent all my time, money and energy on either training for races or on taking care of my beautiful son, Canyon, age six at the time. I acted as my own coach.

Martin Gaffuri of Annecy, France, an accomplished runner and founder ofGoodPeopleRun, a social site connecting runners throughout the world, would be my partner at TransRockies. He had multiple years of experience in stage racing, and we felt our odds of winning the co-ed category were high.