It's Time to Become Sofa King Awesome
Ready to start the Hell Creek 140
People often ask me how I decide which races to do. If they aren't ultra runners, they usually ask if I've done the Boston or New York marathons. If they know ultra running, they ask if I've done Leadville or Cocodona or something similar.
For the most part, the iconic races haven't been my thing to-date. There are a couple of key factors I utilize when choosing races. First, I am working my way through a bucket list item: run one ultra in every state. As of April 2025, I am at 17 states and counting!
Second, I gravitate toward races with fun twists. Four days of lining up around 3am at Disney World in costume to run the Dopey Challenge? Yes, please. Marathons in France that have wine and cheese at all the aid stations. You better believe it. So, when I heard about the Sofa King Awesome Challenge in Kansas - a challenge to run 265 miles by doing the Hell Creek 140 then running the Heartland 125 approximately 12 days later - I thought, why not?
As of early 2024, the Hell Creek gurus who had partnered with the Heartland 125 race organizers still had no winners after three years of offering the Sofa King Awesome Challenge. I asked my coach, Peter Mortimer, if he thought I should try it (me, the most average of average ultrarunners) and he said, "I'm an ultra running coach. Of course you should...I'm an enabler." :)
So, I did. When I finished the Hell Creek 140 as the only female finisher and the only person registered for the Sofa King Awesome Challenge, I knew I had to bring it. I was excited, though, that one of my co-finishing buddy, Brenyn St Vrain, decided to join me. We two cheered each other on throughout the Heartland 125 and finished in 1st and 3rd places.
Why did I choose the race? Because I loved the idea that an entire race would be created based on an SNL skit. Because no one had completed it previously. Because I was looking for a cool challenge. Because the buckle was awesome. Because my fantastic crew - Janelle and Cam Hahn, Coach Peter Mortimer, Tommy Acierno, and the beloved Dr Andrew Brydon - were willing to stick with me for hours in Kansas. Yes, for all of those reasons and more....that's how I chose. It works for me every time, and I'm sticking to it. Go have fun!