This week, a special guest is sharing her thoughts on AME's valued principles of continuous improvement, overcoming challenges to achieve excellence, and most importantly, community – but with a twist. This guest post, written by AME's senior marketing specialist, Jessi Elder, features her recent ultra trail running accomplishment in the Wasatch Mountains outside of Salt Lake City.
I am so inspired by you, Jessi. Your hard work and dedication have led you to this moment of success. Remember, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." – Eleanor Roosevelt
The quest to become the most resilient version of myself
This is a story about my favorite word: resilience – and how this trait relates to values that members of the AME community, runner or not, can resonate with.
This past November, I committed to a massive goal by registering for the 24-hour race Running Up for Air - Grandeur on February 7 - 8. RUFA is an endurance trail running series that raises money for local environmental nonprofits working to improve air quality, conservation and climate resiliency. It's a challenge to run an out-and-back trail to Grandeur Peak (6.3 miles, 2,600' elevation gain) on repeat for 24 hours.
Aside from loving to challenge myself in the mountains, this cause spoke to me because I'm passionate about preserving our environment and I'm met with regular reminders of our city's smog — in my lungs and as I look out over the Salt Lake City valley on my runs.
View of Salt Lake City on Grandeur Peak on a smoggy day
I dedicated my winter to training through snow, ice and freezing air to raise money for a great cause and challenge myself to climb mountains – literally and figuratively.
Defining excellence: A, B and C goals
Leading up to my races, I like to define my A, B and C goals. It's my way of holding myself accountable to achieve excellence and become a more resilient, grounded, enlightened version of myself.
- A goal: The most ambitious and challenging goal I want to achieve if training has been going well, race day logistics and weather look favorable, and I'm feeling physically and mentally healthy.
- B goal: The goal I believe I can still accomplish even if not everything is going right or if I'm not having an A day — still challenging but more attainable.
- C goal: The wholesome goal I can still accomplish on those special race days where everything seems to be going wrong — so I still can leave the race with a small win or lesson learned.
My RUFA goals
Continuous improvement: The quest to become the most resilient version of myself
Through high mileage training weeks during the coldest months of the year, accountability from friends and commitment to healthy habits, I was able to train harder than I ever have before. On race day, I stood at the start with confidence (and definitely some nerves) and a genuine belief in my ability to achieve my A goal.
The race started and ended in a blizzard. We ran in below-freezing temps with wet feet and blisters on soft snow and crunchy ice. Beneath white-blanketed evergreens, spindly branches and stormy gray skies, I put one foot and trekking pole in front of the other and never stopped! (Aside from a one-hour chillout in the warming tent from 4 - 5 a.m.) I continued moving all through the night and the following day at a sustainable pace.
In ultra races like these, the fastest racers aren't necessarily the ones who podium. The winners are the ones who are able to be the most resilient on that particular race day – in those particular weather and trail conditions, with their specific training leading up to that race, and in their physical, mental and emotional states that day. A lot can change over the course of 24 hours, and so much more than physical fitness is at play.
For me, RUFA was a blur of encouragement from racers and volunteers, flowing creek water in the dark, peaceful nighttime silence, bobbing headlamps against a far-off mountainous silhouette, sleep deprivation slurs, fighting mental demons that threatened to surface, revitalization from the rising sun, support from friends, lots of food, many moments of pure joy and pride, and some serious grit.
"That is the point of the mountain"
On this quest to become the most resilient version of myself, I achieved my goal: 8 laps for 51 miles and 21,000' elevation gain. My last lap required a monster push from deep within, as the world had turned into an eerie snow globe and fluffy wet flakes dumped into a snow drift at the summit. My legs kept moving, and somehow, unbeknownst to me until many hours later, my final push landed me a spot on the podium – 3rd female overall!
As Brianna Wiest said about the mountain, “But who you become in learning to climb it? That will stay with you forever. That is the point of the mountain.”
This incredible event and the Salt Lake City trail running community certainly have my heart. The cause for something greater than oneself, the challenge to embrace the most resilient and vulnerable pieces of myself alongside friends and strangers, and the transformation within – that's why I do it! I am endlessly grateful to the RUFA organizers, racers, volunteers and friends for this epic adventure and for all of the support that helped me achieve my dreams. Until the next ultra!
Jessi, your journey embodies true resilience — pushing boundaries, embracing challenges and growing stronger with every step. As Maya Angelou said, "I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it."
Congratulations on this incredible achievement — your strength and determination inspire us all!
As always, please stay safe and keep looking out for one another.
