The Brazil 135 - My Journey on the Path of Faith

                            A view from Eagles Peak the highest point in the race

For two days I have been thinking about what to write that could express just how I feel about completing the Brazil 135 Mile Ultra Marathon. The experience has changed my life. When I think about the race, I remember the mountains but they are not first in my mind. What I will always remember first is the relationships. I will remember the love.

First and foremost, I am proud that TEAM USA all finished the race while raising more than $15,000 to support Casa Nossa, a local mission that serves homeless and low-income girls, helping to educate them, teach them productive skills and keep them off the streets and safe from prostitution, crime and drugs. The funds will pay for the construction of a gymnasium to be used for education and sports activities.

I was fortunate to have in my opinion one of the world’s greatest endurance runners and two time winner of the Brazil Jungle Marathon, Jacqueline Terto, as my pacer for the race. She did not speak English. I did not speak one word of Portuguese. During the 57 hours and 50 minutes it took us to travel the 135 miles we became more than friends. We developed a bond beyond words because we didn’t need them.  We are both the same and we knew each other’s hearts. I will always remember crying on the trail in the middle of the night. Both of my feet completely covered in blisters. I will remember Jacqueline praying for my feet and us moving forward – always moving forward. Jacqueline would look me in the eye, squeeze my hand and say “Focus, Finish.” I will remember Jacqueline always going ahead before me to make sure there were no Cobras in our path. I will remember us hugging and crying together surrounded by the mountains in the most beautiful place I have ever seen on earth. I will remember us laughing hysterically after we were chased by a bull. 

The Brazil 135 is the most difficult foot race in Brazil, it is run on the hardest, most challenging segment of the Caminho da Fé (Path of Faith or Way of Faith), the most difficult Brazilian pilgrimage path.  The primary objectives of the Caminho da Fé pilgrimage are the experience of moments of reflection and faith through the exercise of walking - the integration of man with nature and with religion.  The Way of Faith is a route marked by yellow arrows and consists of

stretches of dirt roads, asphalt, trails within farms and railroad tracks. It takes, on average, 12 to 15 days to finalize the pilgrimage on foot, or, if you choose to participate in the Brazil 135, you have 60 hours. The course boasts about 30,000 feet of cumulative ascent and 28,000 feet of cumulative descent. With only ten flat miles in the race, by the finish line the runner will have completed a course that is analogous to climbing up and down Mt. Everest.

There were moments of clarity on the Path of Faith that will forever define me. My faith led me to run this race and it’s my faith that saw me through. It’s my faith that I take with me from the mountains of Brazil and it’s my fear of sharing my faith with others that I leave behind. My life is one of a constant seeking of God, but before the Brazil 135 many of my closest friends did not know this about me. It’s an area of my life I have kept private except for those that I have been drawn to share it with. I have never felt comfortable sharing my relationship with God with others. I am always in fear of turning others away from the greatest joy I have ever known. I believe a simple truth and it’s what brought me to run the Brazil 135. I believe Jeremiah 29-13 “If you Seek Me with all your heart and all your soul, you will Find Me.” That is what brought me to Brazil. It’s why I ran my first 100 miler in October. It’s the reason why I run. When I run I feel close to God. In the mountains of Brazil I felt connected to God in ways I have never dreamed but not just in the experience of the race. More so in the people I met. People like Ashley Loucks & Michelle Purcell who were meant to be part of my journey.  I will always remember them praying for me as I began my descent to the finish line and our ride together to the start.  People like Jimmy Dean Freeman who met me on the trail and ran the last five hours or so with me and who has a knack for knowing what you need to hear when you need to hear it. Jimmy gave me his socks off his feet to cover my blisters that were now in Crocs because the pain had become to much for my running shoes. My amazing crew Antonio and Christina who met to my every need and who also became like family to me. Pizza in the middle of nowhere is not easy to find but they found a way. I will remember them always. I will also remember the simple acts of love that moved me so deeply. Like Tony Portera and Jarom Thurston leaving my name in the dirt so close to the end of my journey. A simple gesture such as that will forever be one of the greatest memories of my life. These people and so many more were strangers a week ago but are now in my heart forever and I say with no hesitation that I love them all.

  My name left on the Path of Faith by Jarom Thurston and Tony Portera

 

There are other moments from this experience that I am still processing. Like the giant Bible in the hotel lobby at the finish line opened to the book of Jeremiah and lit beautifully in the window light. The sight of it almost brought me to my  knees.                                      

When I began this journey I thought it may be a test of faith. Possibly to see if I had the courage to attempt what I thought was impossible but knowing for some reason God wanted me there. I thought it might be a lesson in humility and that I would fail miserably. It was somewhere during the race I learned that this experience was a celebration. It was once again me running with my friend. This time we had others along for the journey – something new to me and a new beginning.

So I guess, here I am making an open declaration of my faith and my love of God. There is nothing more important to me. That is my journey. It is one that will never end.

I’d like to end with the first thing I read once my eyes opened after being awake for more than 59 hours and moving forward for 57 of them and 50 minutes. I no longer believe in coincidences and I can never describe what reading these words did to me. But I can say this – God’s greatest joy is our company. It’s our reason for being and it’s a choice. I have made mine and I am moving forward.

"I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move."

Matthew 17:20

Me and my amazing pacer Jacqueline Terto who got me through the race. 

A video of me finishing the race shot by Tony Portera can be seen here.