It’s been three months since I crossed the final finish line of the 2025 TransRockies Run and today I am sharing the full recap of Stage 6. If you’d like to catch up…here are my previous TransRockies Run posts:
TransRockies Run Prep + Arrival in Denver
TransRockies Run Day 0 and Stage 1 Recap
TransRockies Run Stage 2 Recap – Hope Pass!
TransRockies Run Stage 3 Recap – Leadville to Nova Guides
TransRockies Run Stage 4 Recap – Nova Guides to Red Cliff
TransRockies Run Stage 5 Recap – Red Cliff to Vail
TRANSROCKIES RUN STAGE 6 – VAIL TO BEAVER CREEK
Stage 6 took us 23 miles from the heart of Vail Village to Beaver Creek with nearly 5,000 feet of vert. It was a big day to close out the six-day experience but I’d expect nothing less from the TRR team!
Let’s start from the beginning!
My alarm was set for 4:45a and I had to laugh at all of the information my Oura Ring app gave me when I opened it up for my daily check of my sleep scores and readiness. My resting heart rate was elevated the whole time I was in Colorado due to the elevation and effort. And it blew my mind every day that I could wake up feeling relatively good – all things considered – with minimal soreness or fatigue. I am not sure if it was some kind of mountain magic or race endorphins but there wasn’t a single day where I didn’t feel like I could get up and go.
I made my way from my tent Chillville for coffee and breakfast and I wish I could say that I was surprised to find mimosas on the breakfast table at 5:30a but it was totally on brand for TRR.
I had my usual breakfast of oatmeal and an English muffin along with some fresh fruit and black coffee. I sat by the fire to eat. Once again, god bless the volunteers who got up at 3:30a every morning to have all of this prepped and ready for us.
Back at my tent, I got dressed for the day and my duffle packed up. I dropped my bags with the luggage crew for the last time and made my way to the starting line.
VIBES WERE SO HIGH! We were all just shy of 100 miles into this six-day race and ready to tackle the final leg. There was a deep feeling of camaraderie and celebration. I jumped into the starting chute, they cued up “Highway to Hell” and off we went.
The first few miles were on the road, which was a nice way to warm up. Again, the fact that I was able to start the day with a 5K run was mind blowing to me. Bodies are amazing.
After crossing the Interstate on an overpass, we made our way onto Vail’s North Trail which which was a straight up conga line of runners on single track. Honestly, I am so grateful for the push and accountability that it gave me to keep a steady pace. I did have one trip and fall where I bloodied my knee but it wasn’t too bad at all. I pulled over, slapped a band-aid on it and kept going. It was always a mental bummer to lose your place in a conga line and watch so many pass but I also didn’t want to keep going with blood dripping down my leg. I’m not that hardcore haha.
We gained 1,400 feet in three miles and whew – it was a challenge! The crowds started to thin out and I found myself amidst the most gorgeous aspens.
The most challenging aspect of Stage 6 was wildfire smoke. Obviously, something out of everyone’s control but for the first half of the day, it was extremely noticeable. Between the smoke and the dust from some of the dry dirt roads/tails were were on, it was a less than ideal air quality situation.
We ventured up the Buffehr Creek Trail and Red and White Mountain.
And then it was a long four mile descent down the shaded Buck Creek Trail.
Looking down into the town of Avon, which was where we were heading.
We hit our second aid station of the day at mile 17. I first had been back at mil 8 so we were all so ready to see this checkpoint as we made our way off Buck Creek Trail.
Checkpoint Two was always special because it was manned by Florida Joe’s team. This photo is not from this year’s run but Joe has been involved with TRR since 2008 and has participated every year either as a runner or volunteer. His aid stations are epic as is his attitude. He’s 80 years old and still out there getting after it!
I can’t really explain what came over me at aid station two but I was flooded with emotion over the event as a whole and being so close to finished. I couldn’t believe it was all almost over, and I was physically and emotionally exhausted. Florida Joe poured me some electrolytes and gave me encouragement for the final stretch. This made me dissolve into tears. He gave me a hug and “flamingoed” me. Florida Joe is known for attaching pink flamingos to runners’ vests. He says when you have the flamingo, you never walk alone.
With six miles left to go, I got back on the road. I was VERY grateful for a long stretch of runnable road that took us into the town of Avon.
I popped into a gas station to use a real bathroom and splash water on my face and that was so nice. Some people stopped to get slurpees. Apparently it’s a TRR tradition lol.
We had one final aid station at mile 19 before a four mile push to the finish. We had a big climb into Beaver Creek.
Let me tell you, 1,200 feet of climb at the end of six days, 120 miles and 20,000 feet of vert is quite the way to end a race. I had to DIG DOWN DEEP!
The scenery coming into Beaver Creek was really beautiful with more majestic Aspens and wide open ski runs.
We were all really spread out at this point and I was in such a contemplative headspace as I processed everything the last six days had been. It was a really special time of the race for me – I felt so raw and so grateful.
Dirty and euphoric. Less than a mile to go.
With everything I had left in me, I ran the last push to the finish.
DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Watch shot.
Splits.
And then I sat in the grass for a while taking it all in before meeting my friends for lunch.
Crossing the finish line for the last time was everything. The 2025 TransRockies Run was a life changing experience. And I don’t say that lightly. Everything from the prep to the race itself pushed me to go deep. I found strength, resilience, adventure, gratitude and awe on levels I’ve never experienced before.
This race required that I surrender to being uncomfortable – whether that was asking new trail friends that I had just met to sign up with me back in summer of 2024 or long training weekends figuring out gear and getting used to trail running or the actual race itself.
This race offered incredible community. Even though I traveled with two friends from Charlotte, I traversed most of my miles alone. But I never felt alone. The support from other runners and the volunteers was absolutely incredible. I truly felt like everyone had each other’s backs. If you pulled off the trail to take a break or have a gel, it was inevitable that someone would stop and check that you were okay. When another runner passed you, they almost always gave you an encouraging word about how awesome you were doing. Sometimes you’d end up alongside someone for miles at a time just idly chatting or having deep conversations. The same thing applied at camp – everyone was so friendly and chatty. Even though this was a race, no part of it felt pressured or competitive in the least.
I’ve said this a lot recently but it’s a really great feeling to be proud of yourself. The 2025 TransRockies Run is something I will never forget for as long as I live. I am so happy that I decided to go for it. The whole thing was incredible – the organization of the race, the volunteers, the fellow runners, the views, the feeling of personal accomplishment.
Sadly, after an 18 year run this was the final six-day TransRockies Run. Due to the increasing expense of hosting the event and the logistics of six days of camp set up and course permits in various locations, the race organizers had to end the race. We didn’t know this when we signed up but it made me so grateful for our timing.
They are now offering a three-day version of the event called Pass to Pub and I 100% recommend that! Instead of being a traveling race, it’s based out of Nova Guides and does three of the popular TRR courses. The TRR organization also offers other wonderful races and experiences. I am hoping to do Moab Run the Rocks and the Golden Ultra in the future!
I will probably write one more post with closing banquet and travel home but this concludes the stage recaps for the 2025 TransRockies Run. Thanks for coming along with me!
