When I first heard about XTERRA races, my eye immediately caught the word “triathlon.” Out of pure curiosity, I clicked - could this actually convince me to try one? With the race happening in Laguna Beach, surrounded by such a beautiful setting, it seemed like it could be the perfect first triathlon.
But XTERRA wasn’t just about triathlons - they also had a short and long course tri, plus 10K and 5K trail runs. Some friends of mine have been nudging me for years to try a tri someday. It’s really just a matter of time. But let’s be real: my schedule was already packed. Between my music career, long-distance running, gym cross-training, and the endless trips to the grocery store, not to mention washing mountains of fruits, veggies, and laundry, where would bike and swim training even fit in?
Honestly, there was still this pull to really dive into distance running. And to do that properly, I knew I needed to put in serious miles.
So, I’ll admit it: I was intrigued by ultra marathons.
My fascination with races longer than a marathon (anything 50K and up is considered a true ultra) actually goes back to February 2015. One early morning, half-awake, I was scrolling on my phone and saw a post from a local running group. A guy named Adam Kimble was planning to run across the U.S., and the group was organizing a send-off run for the first few miles. The starting point? Huntington Beach Pier - literally in my backyard! But there I was at 6 a.m., just waking up, while he had already set off around 5 a.m.I couldn’t help but feel a mix of excitement and nostalgia, imagining what it must have been like to see him off. And get this - Adam was attempting to break the world record for the transcontinental run. At the time, the record was 46 days, 8 hours, 36 minutes, set by Frank Giannino in 1980. (Update: a new record has since been set by Pete Kostelnick — 42 days, 6 hours, 30 minutes!)
I was inspired just reading about it. Naturally, I had to dig deeper. Who was Adam Kimble, and why would anyone want to run 3,000+ miles? I discovered he’s a seasoned ultra runner, with a resume of 100-milers, 100Ks, even the Gobi Challenge. And that led me down a rabbit hole - names like Dean Karnazes popped up, someone I’d first heard about as a teen, utterly amazed by his feats. Meanwhile, I was huffing and puffing to finish a single mile, always over 10 minutes. Running was not my sport growing up.
And yet, here I was, excited at the thought of stepping into the world of ultra running.
By Christmas 2015, after letting the idea marinate for months, I started scouting race calendars online, treating them like I would my planner for the new year. I wasn’t just picking races to check a box - they were my motivation to gradually build mileage. There’s no magic in waking up one morning and deciding, “Alright, today I’ll run 10 miles!” if your longest run so far has been just a mile. Ultra running requires patience, discipline, and yes, a lot of tenacity. Instant gratification? Not in this sport.
What I noticed in my research was that most ultra marathons take place in hilly terrain, mountains, or trails. Makes sense - you can’t exactly close hundreds of miles of roads for a race. And there it was: the realization that I hadn’t done much trail running. That’s when the XTERRA Laguna 10K caught my eye.
Fast forward to a foggy June morning, and I found myself at Crystal Cove State Park. The air smelled like excitement, and a little neoprene from the triathletes’ wetsuits. People buzzed around, getting their numbers tattooed on, setting up bikes, checking gear, all the usual pre-race chaos. And yet, I loved the simplicity of just being a runner: decent trail shoes, a hat, a bib number, and you’re set. The 10K crowd was small, which made for a nice, relaxed start.
And the views? Absolutely stunning. The weather stayed cool and overcast, perfect for a morning on the trails.
 |
| What's better than a fog machine at night? Real fog in the morning |
 |
| It's hard to tell the level of steepness here but your legs will let you know |
