Stacey Hodulich

Pride In Myself

By 29029 Everesting

September 27^th, 2019

I'm Not an athlete

I volunteered at the very first 29029 event in 2017. I was in charge of the food and meals at the aid stations. Behind the scenes, I heard the planning, and in my head, I thought that this was just another crazy endurance challenge for crazy endurance athletes. It never crossed my that it would be something I would ever do. I'm not an athlete!

What I witnessed in that first year was a great mix of like-minded people, and most weren't crazy endurance folks. Still, I left Vermont, thinking this was something I'd never do. In thought it was out of my realm. I don't run, I don't do marathons. I'm the cheerleader.

With that said, it was incredibly moving. I met a lot of people, and I listened to how amazing the experience was. I witnessed first hand how it changed people's lives.

The Cheerleader

As I mentioned, I'm the cheerleader. I cheer my husband Marc on in his endeavors, I was there for his Ironman, for Leadville and I'll be there for whatever is next. I am a housewife, I volunteer at the school, and to reiterate, I'm not the athlete! Marc is an amazing man, and following the first 29029, he insisted that I take on something that really pushed me. To be honest, it went in one ear and out the other. His suggestions came more frequently, and finally, he asked, 'why don't you do 29029 next year?' My immediate response was, "There's no possible way that I could do that."

It wasn't until June that I finally decided that I would give it a shot. I did a hike in Telluride, I call it the Gondola Trail, it's a similar elevation gain and distance as the hike at Stratton Mountain. I finished that hike and realized that my mindset could change. I didn't have to be the fastest, it wasn't running, it was taking it one hike at a time. So through Marc's insistence and my 'test hike,' I committed.

During my training, I decided to do an event called Hell on the Hill. I'm not sure it helped me or knocked me down a little. I was a complete mess following that experience, I was physically and mentally exhausted. In the end, though, I did it. I was able to get through, I hadn't trained for it, which made it hard, but it also sparked something in me. It helped me to commit to a plan - to train and prepare for 29029. I had never followed a training plan in my life, and as supportive as Marc was, we quickly realized that he may not be the best trainer for me, so he stepped aside, and coach Brent Pease agreed to help get me ready. Once I got into the training, I was religious about it. It really changed who I am. I learned discipline, and I learned commitment. I don't think a lot of people have the opportunity in their life to commit to something like this, something that really tests them. For me, this was it.

Pride

During Hell on the Hill, I told myself I was going to take it 10 hills at a time. Once I got to halfway, I didn't feel great, and I was tired. I felt bad, but I didn't feel horrible. There was something in me that thought it may be possible to get to the finish. To get there, I just needed to get 10 more, and 10 more after that. Slowly but surely I got to 60, 70 and finally to 100. I built confidence in chunks of 10.

My husband and my kids were there cheering me on, it was a really cool experience, and it was the first time I had felt pride in myself. Of course, I feel proud all the time as a wife and mother, however, this was different. In that moment, I realized why Marc had been encouraging me to find something that would push me out of my comfort zone. So that I could feel that sense of accomplishment for myself. Usually, everything I do is for others, and this was a feeling that I didn't know that was there.

Just get to the top of the mountain

29029 is such a fantastic opportunity for people that don't consider themselves runners. When someone finishes a marathon, the first question is, 'what was your time?' That doesn't happen with 29029. Of course, I've had lots of questions about whether I finished, but more importantly, things like, 'what was it like?' Or 'how has it changed you?' This experience is made for people who want to challenge themselves and do something incredible.

The speech that Jesse gave at the beginning was so powerful. He said, 'for the entire 29029 weekend you have nothing else to be responsible for. You don't have work, you don't have your kids, you don't have bills, you don't have your long to-do list, your only job is to get to the top of the mountain.' That really resonated with me. It gave me permission to be in the moment, and do something for myself. Even if it was just for one weekend.

When I completed the first ascent, I was glad, but I also wondered how I was possibly going to do 16 more. I was lucky that Marc advised me to refuel and recharge on the gondola ride down, then once I got to the bottom, turn the corner and do it again. Those gondola rides were a blessing.

My fueling plan started very healthy, with apples and peanut butter, then by lap 8 it became chocolate milk and animal crackers, basically anything I could get my hands on. I still laugh thinking about that!

I can't quit

The plan for the first day was to complete 12 hikes, and the toughest moment I had was getting to 12. I decided to take a break for a meal, get a change of clothes, and put on my headlamp. When I came out, it was snowing, it was dark, and it was miserable. I had three laps to do to get to my goal. Those three laps were really, really hard. I was completely shot, and it was just before midnight. I was in tears but really determined to get it done. That 12th lap was slow and grueling, but I did it. By pushing through the discomfort and doubt, I felt a sense of accomplishment and a feeling that I could do more than I thought I could. It would have been easy to call it a night at 11, or earlier, but I didn't, and that was a confidence builder. In saying that, I went to bed feeling like it was no guarantee, there was still plenty left to do.

My sleep was anything but restful, I maybe got one hour, I just couldn't get comfortable. I was cold and couldn't fall asleep. It was so hard to get going in the morning, I was simply exhausted. In my head, I really wanted to get to 29029, but I wasn't sure I'd be able to finish in the time allotted. I was moving much slower than planned, and the conditions made the going tough. Something really switched in me after a couple of hours on day 2. I thought to myself...

I can't quit.

I can't quit, simply because I'm tired. I was in pain, but I wasn't in danger, at that moment, I knew I had to finish, no matter what.

The Red Bib

Every time you come down and burn the mark on the Ascent Board, it's a sense of accomplishment, like 'hell yeah, one more!' Some of the other participants, who were more concerned with their time had someone else brand the board for them. There was no way I was letting anyone else do that for me. It's a special moment that I had earned, I wanted to savor it. It showed me that I could dig in and do one more.

My best memory from 29029 was putting the Red Bib on. It was so emotional, knowing I only had one more hike to do. For me getting to 16 ascents was what I needed to achieve. The 17th and final lap was a celebration lap, and I feel like the Red Bib carried me up the mountain. I was so emotional throughout that final lap, and when I got to the top, I was a complete mess. Not only was I proud of myself, but I could see how proud Marc was of me, and knowing how proud my kids were, it was a very special moment. Instead of me always supporting others, everyone was supporting me, that was life-changing. It's a feeling and a memory that I'll never forget - it's etched in my brain forever.

You really have to want it

I tell people all the time, "I'm a regular Joe, and if I can do it, anybody out there can do it." But you also have to want it. I could have quit that night, and not come out the next morning, I could have just said, I'm done. You really have to want it.

Part of the benefit of 29029 comes from committing to something that you're not sure you can do. I had a healthy sense of fear about my goal, and I accomplished it. This whole experience brought out an amazing potential inside of me that I didn't know was there. I now understand that even when things are hard, I can get through it.

29029 totally changed my life, and I'm forever indebted to my husband. I'm so glad that he pushed me to do it because I don't think I would have done it for myself. It's an incredible event that they have created. Not only do people take away the accomplishment of completing an endurance challenge, but the feeling they can accomplish anything they set their mind to. I'm living proof of that!