I Ran the Hardest Ultramarathon in Indiana (The Knobstone 50)

and it completely changed how I think about growth.

For starters, I’m not a lifelong runner. I dabbled a bit in my early 20’s, but I didn’t start taking it seriously until a year and a half ago, at age 37.

I started a Sunday Runday club when I came to Purdue in 2024; as a way to socialize and bond with my new colleagues while doing something healthy. We would often run 5 km on the trails or roads around West Lafayette. After a few months, someone put out the idea that we should sign up for the Purdue Boilermaker Half-Marathon. We were all very nervous about it, but we signed up and it ended up being a gateway to so much more.

After that race, we decided to up the ante, and sign up for Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, MN. This was another scary new challenge, a distance that seemed impossible. In early training, my legs would just stop moving after 18 miles. But, the body slowly adapted week after week. And after 8 months of training, what was once impossible, became possible.

The marathon went so well (sub-4 hours!), that I decided to do my first 50 km ultra at Run Woodstock in Gregory, MI. This is only 5 miles more than a marathon, so it seemed reasonable. But it took me nearly twice as long as my marathon (6 hours 40 minutes)! The 3000 ft of elevation gain was a new challenge for my body. But I found myself craving more. Something really really hard - something that scared me.

In comes the Knobstone 50: a 50 mile point-to-point race in sourthern Indiana with nearly 10,000 ft of elevation gain. This race is no joke. It has steep uphills followed by steep downhills that shred your quads, wooden steps with rebar sticking out so you have to watch your step, and tons of stream crossings that you can avoid getting your feet wet only if you’re willing to search for the right jump. But it’s also, just, beautiful.

Not to mention the aid stations are fully stocked with all the tasty foods. And the volunteers are some of the best I’ve ever seen.

I ended up finishing in 13 hours and 10 minutes, in 26th place out of 129 starters. Which, really surprised me! But, it wasn’t just luck. It was hard training for 6 months in the Indiana winter: long runs, cold mornings, and showing up over, and over, and over, and over.

But this is when I realized. Growth isn’t about how hard you push yourself - it’s also about who you surround yourself with.

My fiancé supported me over 6 months of long weekend runs, and came down to be my crew chief on race day. Two of my colleagues and friends—and original Sunday Runday crew—came down to pace for me. And one of them even wants to sign up for Knobstone next year. And the volunteers, the racers, and the race director were truly amazing. This has one of the most supportive communities I have ever been a part of.

So, if you are looking for a real challenge, I cannot recommend Knobstone 50 enough. But more importantly, find your people. Find those people who support you endlessly in achieving your goals, and keep them close.