I’m often times amazing by the twists and turns life’s journey takes you down. I started into endurance racing only after injuring myself playing volleyball. Found that I enjoyed running as part of my rehabilitation, which turned into racing and meeting new people and longer and longer distances. From then to now, I’m become really good friends with some really amazing people. Some of whom I’m now helping to start a new ultra trail running race in our home town!

The brain child of Jake Daul, he got together a team of 5 additional friends, Ellen Humberston, Scott & Jenn Schmoldt, Chad Esker and myself. All endurance athletes with experience putting racing, supporting, and organizing some long races. With the team assembled, we started work on the WausaUltra Backyard Ultra Marathon. A race with no time limits and no finish. In the fashion of Lazarus Lake’s Big’s Backyard, every hour on the hour all racers still competing will set off on a 4.167 loop. As long as there are people lining up to race, the race goes on. Until there is only one, a bit of a Highlander take on racing.

While I never dreamed of being a part of creating a race, I’m truly excited to be a part of making this event happen. I’m so excited to see just what the competitors are capable come race day. Also, really looking forward to being on the other side of a race. Helping others to reach their goal, whatever that goal may mean to them. Working with a great group of people towards this common goal has already proven to be rewarding, and I’m so excited to see what comes next.

We’re just starting to take registration for our April 30th – May 2nd race now, and all of our information can be found at our new website WausaUltra.com.

The course we’ll be using is open to the public currently, as it is set at Sylvan Hill in Wausau, Wi. I’ve been having a ton of fun guiding friends and fellow runners through the course. It will certainly be a challenge for the runners on race day. Attempting to conserve energy by going slower will not allow for much recovery time at all between loops. This really is going to be quite an adventure.