From the relentless desert climbs to the emotional highs and lows, this transformative experience taught BWFA client Kristen Ghaffarian that with the right mindset and support, she could conquer anything.
I was invited by Milestone Events to be an ambassador for their inaugural Zion 100-Mile Challenge. I had always thought about running a 100-miler, but lacked the confidence to sign up for one. When Milestone reached out, I knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I took the leap and said yes! The concept behind the race was simple: each runner would work toward achieving their personal milestone. The course was a 10-mile loop, and after each loop, runners stamped a board showing everyone’s progress.
I went into this race not knowing anyone except six other content creators from Instagram who were also invited to serve as ambassadors. While I followed them online, we’d never met in person. I ended up running the entire 100 miles with my now-best friend Jess, and 80 of those miles with another new best friend, Travis. We are forever bonded by this shared experience.
PREPARATION AND TRAINING:
Milestone Events provided a training plan, which gradually built up mileage and included back-to-back long runs to simulate race fatigue. I prioritized hill training and running at different times of the day to prepare for the course’s challenges. I also ran five to six days a week, with strength training to prevent injury. My training routine was early morning runs to balance with family life, and the highmileage weeks gave me confidence as race day approached.
RACE DAY EXPERIENCE
The race began at 5 a.m. on Thursday, August 29, 2024. It was chilly and dark, but the stars were brilliant in the sky. After a quick pep talk and the national anthem, we set off up the mountain. The first two miles were straight up, and the altitude made breathing difficult. The climb was relentless, and we had to stop several times to catch our breath. The rest of the course included more climbs, uneven terrain, and challenging ATV trails washed out by rain, which were tough to run and caused painful blisters.
The course had aid stations at the starting line, mile 4, and mile 7. I made sure to eat and hydrate at each stop. The aid
stations had typical ultramarathon snacks: potato chips,
Swedish Fish, pretzels, peanut M&Ms, Oreos, pickles, Rice
Krispies Treats, PB&J, grilled cheese, quesadillas, and
electrolyte drinks.
SUPPORT SYSTEM AND GEAR
The race had coaches and volunteers who were there to
pace us and help with whatever we needed. Jess, Travis,
and I stuck together throughout the race, and Travis did 80
miles, taking one loop off to rest. This allowed him to support
Jess and me during the first night. He didn’t run the last
loop with us, but he was there at the finish line, holding up
scarves for us to cross under.
I went into this race thinking I’d run it alone, but Jess and I
ended up running every single mile together. Even though
we had talked about possibly splitting up at some point,
we never did. We lifted each other up through the tough
moments of self-doubt, and when one of us struggled, the
other was there to keep going.
PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES
After 40 miles, our energy was running low. We started to question whether we should shift our goal to 50 miles or 100K (62.1 miles). But we reminded each other that we had set out to run 100 miles, and we weren’t going to stop. We also wanted to show our kids that hard work pays off.
The hardest moment came at mile 50. That was the farthest I had ever run, but I couldn’t even celebrate. We were overwhelmed by the thought of doing it all again. We took a break in the recovery tent, where we laid on yoga mats for a 30-minute nap. We woke up shivering and still exhausted, so we decided to head back to our cabin for a two-hour nap, which helped. Afterward, we got a painful but necessary 20-minute massage to work out the aches in our legs.
One of the biggest surprises was the emotional rollercoaster. During the second night, between miles 70-80, we were laughing, joking, and listening to music, making funny videos. One even went viral because Travis’s burps from the aid station soda sounded like a mountain lion roaring. But by miles 80-90, our joy turned to tears of exhaustion and doubt. We sat at mile 86, crying and wondering why we thought this was a good idea months ago. But we rallied after our breakdown and kept going.
POST-RACE RECOVERY
After finishing, my body was sore, but not more than after a marathon. The toughest part was the extreme fatigue. I was completely drained for about two weeks—far more tired than I’d ever been after a race. But I bounced back quickly and ran a 55K (34 miles) three weeks later, feeling better than expected.
LESSONS LEARNED
This race taught me so much about myself. I learned that I can do hard things. When I was at mile 98, the sun beating down on me and my body aching, I had an epiphany: if I could do this, I could do anything. It was incredibly empowering to realize that I could push through my limits.
Looking back at my training, I would’ve added more hill work on trails and specific strength training for climbing. I also learned that even with setbacks, you can still be prepared. I sprained my ankle six weeks before the race and had to scale back my mileage. At the time, I worried it would affect my ability to finish, but taking that break helped me come back stronger.
REFLECTION
Crossing the finish line, I was a completely different person than when I started. When I arrived at Zion, I didn’t know anyone, and I wasn’t sure if I could even finish 100 miles. But by the end, I had formed lasting friendships, and I had pushed myself beyond what I ever thought possible. After the race, we had an award ceremony where the finishers received their buckles—something unique to 100-mile races. No one in the race had run less than 50 miles, which was incredibly inspiring.
Saying goodbye to my new friends was emotional. I couldn’t believe how much we had shared over the course of the race. These people, once strangers, felt like family. I couldn’t thank Milestone Events enough for giving me the opportunity to be part of something so life-changing. It was a transformative experience that I’ll carry with me forever.
Though I swore “never again” multiple times during the race, I would absolutely do it again. The journey taught me that, with the right mindset and support, I can do anything I set my mind to.