Hoover Dam Marathon: Boulder City, Nevada, December 9th, 2023 – Marathon #40
Today, I ran my 41st marathon, and it marks my last out-of-state race for 2023. To be honest, I’m feeling more emotional about this than I thought I would. When I tell people that I’ve run 41 marathons, with 35 of them in 2023, those outside the running world are usually left speechless. The typical follow-up is, “Doesn’t your body hurt?” My reply is always, “Only when I’m not running.”
Running this many marathons is a huge accomplishment, but I’m well aware there are others who have run even more in a year. Still, not many of those runners have only been running for 2.5 years. That’s what makes my journey so unique and special.
Let me set the scene for you: I arrived at Lake Mead State Park as the sun was just beginning to rise above the mountains, casting its warm glow over the lake. It was an absolutely stunning view. I texted my family back in Kansas City and joked that it might take me longer to finish the race because I’d be too busy taking pictures. The weather was a bit chilly in the morning, and in my usual rush to pack, I forgot that the desert can get cold. I still think of the desert as always being hot, but with the wind gusting at 20 mph, it felt far colder than it should have.
I would rank this race as the second hardest marathon I’ve ever done. The majority of the race was uphill, and I’m convinced the race director wanted to mentally challenge us by having us run the same course twice—the dreaded double loop. If you’ve followed my blog, you know I’m not a fan of loops in a race. To make things even harder, after pushing myself for 13.1 miles, I had to tell myself, “I think I’m going to do that again!”
Running up the mountain was challenging enough, but the wind made it almost impossible to stay on the narrow trail at the top. It felt like the gusts could knock me off the side at any moment.
But despite the difficulty, the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. The landscape of Lake Mead and the surrounding mountains made every step worth it. I’m so glad I chose this race to wrap up my out-of-state marathons for 2023. It perfectly symbolized the challenges of life—unpredictable and tough, but beautiful in its own way.
2023 has been a year full of obstacles, and there were times when I felt myself losing my “WHY”—the reason I kept going. The physical pain, the mental strain, and the financial cost of it all were draining at times. But I kept telling myself, “I will make it. I will do this. It’s only the beginning.” I’m proud to say that I have 9 states left on my marathon journey, and they’re all already scheduled. I’m ready to finish strong in 2024, a year that’s going to be my year to shine both personally and professionally. Let’s run!
Quick shout-out to Scott:
About halfway through the race, I ran into Scott, a 13-year-old running his second marathon. He was accompanied by his mom, who gave him a little encouragement and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I had to ask for a picture with him because, honestly, how many 13-year-olds do you know who are running marathons up a mountainside? Scott was my hero that day. Even though he had twisted his ankle and was limping a bit, he pushed on. The next time I saw him, he was at the 20-mile mark, and I was around mile 23. He was no longer limping, and I gave him another shout-out. I’m so proud of him for finishing the race. Great job, Scott—I hope your ankle feels better!