They call it the Race Across the Sky.
This 100-mile, 30-hour trail run, held annually in August, beginning and ending in the small, former mining town of Leadville, Colorado, has contestants battling heat and humidity, thin air and elevations of 9,200 to 12,600 feet to reach the finish line.
Last year, area veterinarian Jeff Boyer—no stranger to endurance sports—won a lottery draw to compete in the prestigious competition. He trained hard—really hard—and lost.
“I failed to make the 100 miles last year in the allotted time, so that results in a DNF, which in the ultra-running scene is a ‘did not finish’! I did make it 50 miles, but who really cares about that when all it says is DNF?! I struggled with the terrain, the altitude, my body and my mind. It was much more difficult than expected.”
Jeff, who started running as a means of reducing stress and organize his thoughts during veterinary school about two decades ago, thought he was well-prepared for the race. He has run marathons in Oklahoma City and has even traveled to Chicago and Dallas for a couple.
“I also love to run on vacation as a way of getting to know the area I am visiting,” he said. “I have participated in many triathlons, from local sprints all the way up to Ironman distance, and have completed Ironman races in Tulsa, Boulder and Nashville.”
Asked about his motivation for running these super-endurance-testing competition, he replied, “Determination, yes; stubbornness and curiosity as well, I think. I’m always wondering how my body will react when I try to put it through what seems like more than it can handle.”
Jeff struggled with his non-finish for a while in the Leadville 100 (the race’s real name) afterward.
“I had invested so much, yet still come up short, and I seemed to crumble when it got tough,” he admitted. “I couldn’t remember the last time I failed at something I really wanted to do. I worried that my best years were actually behind me, as I had been told by many people.
“But it (the failure) was just what I needed,” he continued. “I went back to the drawing board. I changed my training to include more strength and power to go up the mountains. I changed my approach to the altitude. I’m headed up to train on the course this June to see how my body reacts again. I’ve adjusted my nutrition, both daily to reduce my weight and also during my runs, to help ease my digestion and sustain my energy. I’m training my mind by reading, visualization and learning from other successful Leadville finishers. I will show up this year stronger, more prepared, rested and ready for the 30 hours of testing that the Rocky Mountains will offer.
“And should I fail again or succeed in finishing the 100 miles through the Rockies,” Jeff said, “I will know that my life is full of ups and downs, and I have the ability to view any challenge through the lenses of possibility, improvement and potential. Should be an amazing day.”
Jeff Boyer, D.V.M. (aka Dr. Jeff) has been practicing small-animal veterinary medicine for 19 years, all at Boyer Veterinary Clinic (BoyerVetClinic.com) under the mentorship of Dr. Ron Boyer, his father. He and his wife, Jenni, have three children, Callaway, Cooper and Charlotte, along with three dogs—Trudy, Rider and Walter—and two cats—Simba and Nala.
