Reveille Peak 60k – the final Capt Karl Series

CK Reveille Peak wrapped up the Capt’n Karl Night Trail Series, where I signed up for the 60k distance. Out of the four races, I completed three, with one DNF at Muleshoe Bend when heat and nutrition challenges got the better of me (although I completed a 50k before timing out).

At Reveille Peak, I felt strong and raced smart. Throughout the series, I’ve been experimenting with different strategies, and for this race I focused on even pacing instead of banking time – starting with more running and jogging, then shifting to mostly hiking in the later laps. This course felt like the toughest of the series, with plenty of climbing, tricky terrain around massive rocks that could throw off your sense of direction, and plenty of boulders to navigate.

On lap two, I caught up with two other runners – Leslie from the Dallas area and Nancy, a well-known Austin trail runner – and we stayed together for much of that loop, mixing jogging and hiking, especially through the boulder section.

For the third lap onward, I had my pacer, Larry, join me. He’s a strong athlete who wanted to experience an ultra firsthand, so I invited him to pace me through the night. He learned a lot, and it was great catching up since it had been a while since I’d seen him and his wife, Andrea.

Only six women started the 60k, and just two of us finished. I was proud to come in first female!

I’m definitely feeling the fatigue, but now it’s time to rest and recover before getting back into training. This series has been a journey – filled with valuable lessons, new friendships, and the satisfaction of pushing through challenges I once thought might stop me. I also gained confidence in my ability to adapt to different race conditions, which will be key for what’s ahead. This was a great experience and solid training for my A-race in October.