Written by Jen Laughlin
2018: We were both racing the 52K at Coldwater Rumble. The 52K consists of two loops: a clockwise 20 mile loop, followed by a counter clockwise 12.5 mile loop. The course is gorgeous, runnable, and very social. It’s the perfect set up for anyone wanting to finish their first 100 miler, first ultramarathon distance, or first trail race. This very course was my first trail race back in 2014, then again the following year when I completed my first 50 miler. It’s such a special and nostalgic race to me that I’ve raced a distance at Coldwater Rumble every year since.
This particular year was my third time at the 52K at Coldwater Rumble, but it was my twin sister’s first ultra distance ever, and likely to be her only. Running an ultra marathon was a bucket list item that she planned on crossing off her mental “yellow notepad” that day.
Even though we were running the same distance, we had already decided we weren’t running the race “together”. Each of us were to go at our own pace. We even ignored each other a little as we lined up in totally different areas of the start line. Even in our 40’s and in different stages of our lives, we still can’t help but be competitive with one-another, and “out of sight, out of mind” sometimes works best.
My first 20 miles were okay, not that great but not awful either. I was simply struggling mentally. I finished the first loop a bit ahead of my sister (Jaye). Unbeknownst to her, I had decided to call it a day. I couldn’t focus. All I could think about was Jaye. After all, this day was about her, my twin sister, who was running her very first ultra marathon. My twin, who had driven out the day before from California despite a tragic mudslide that occurred the week prior, closing the freeway down, almost preventing her from coming at all. This race was about the fact that as a mother and a business owner, her hectic schedule had permitted next to no real training for an ultra marathon, but she was going for it anyway. Other than her usual strength training regimen and 4 mile trail runs three times a week, her longest run had been 11 road miles leading up to race day. But my twin is tough as nails, and although she doubted herself, I knew she would see this through to the end. I believed in her so much I even made a special finisher’s award to surprise her with after she crossed the finish line.
After she finished the first 20 mile loop, she looked a bit surprised that I was still there and hadn’t headed back out on course. I watched as her pained smile turned into a look of “throat punch” when I told her I was dropping from the race. She started to doubt herself a bit once she realized she was heading back out on her final loop without me being out there too. Even though we weren’t technically running the race together, this was something she needed to do – completely on her own. Growing up as twins, as best friends, we shared so many feats and milestones together. We played competitive sports our entire lives, on the same soccer team even in college. Then, after soccer ended, we trained for and ran road races together. This day was one of the few days where it was to be just about her, and something about her being out on course without me also being out on that same course made a difference. It’s difficult to explain, I honestly think it’s just a “twin thing”. I wanted simply to sit back, and wait with anticipation for her arrival at the start/finish line.
I kept my eyes on the mountain until I saw her familiar and unmistakable gait in the distance. Those few moments cheering her through the finish line is a memory I will never forget. She overcame so much physical pain, but more than anything, mentally drove herself through to the finish line. She was no where near trained for a 52 kilometer trail race, but her determination and grit landed her 4th place female and 21st overall at her first (and only) ultra marathon.
We’ll be back at Coldwater Rumble again this year. Jaye will be attempting another significant triumph: finishing her first race post total ACL replacement surgery and rehabilitation. My 18 year old will be racing HER very first trail race, the 4 miler, and I’ll be racing a distance I’ve yet to run at Coldwater Rumble, the 20k!
If you happen to see the three of us celebrating post race, please, grab a beverage and come by. Let’s toast to first trail races, first ultra marathons, new knees, old memories and new ones waiting to be made at Estrella Mountain Regional Park!
