Today at 6pm, Trish begins her second 24-hour run. In 2025, she successfully completed 50 miles.
On Thursday, we refined her plan across each run and rest block, dialing in how to manage taste fatigue, where to add salt, crunch, and sweetness, and even holding onto the hope that the race director once again delivers frozen freezies. We talked through the rising California heat, her sauna preparation, and the reality that success in a 24-hour event comes down to one thing: the ability to problem solve. We closed with mindset, focusing on her personal toolbox of resilience, grit, and the ability to be both alone and deeply connected.
When you do something for the first time, everything is uncertain. The accomplishment is simply doing the thing. Expectations are limited because you don’t yet know what’s possible. But each time thereafter carries a different weight. Comparisons creep in and expectations take shape. For some, this becomes crippling and can quietly steal the joy from the experience.
Trish, at 65, thrives in learning. She is in her element when faced with hills to climb, both literal and figurative. Right now, her commitment to health and a vibrant life is expressed through the mastery of running far and long.
At the foundation of mastery is curiosity. The first time is expansive, everything is new, and every experience is learning. With repetition, layers build and you begin to choose what to refine. You become the puppeteer, raising one arm and noticing the subtle shift in the leg.
And yet, this is where mastery can become challenging. The more you see, the more you understand what you don’t know. You become aware of the infinite ways to optimize, the many paths available, and all the places things can go wrong. For some, this awareness becomes paralyzing and pulls them away from the very thing that once brought joy.
So what is the secret to longevity and joy in sport? Why does Trish keep showing up?
I believe it begins with faith and is rooted in curiosity. Faith in purpose, that each step holds value. Curiosity that keeps you moving forward, not for the end result, but because the process itself is where meaning lives.
Trish, my incredible athlete, brimming with joy, faith, and curiosity, I am with you in spirit. I am cheering for you across every mile. As my kids run around searching for eggs at the community Easter festival, you will be lacing up one of your three pairs of shoes. As we settle in for a movie, you will be at mile 20. As we wake, you will have already watched the sun rise.
You are tremendous. You are connected. You are an inspiration.
Thank you for allowing all of us at Team Element to be part of this.
Now go get it done.
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