I WON MY FIRST EVER ULTRAMARATHON | 50 MILES

Six months ago, I set a goal that scared me: run my first 50-mile ultramarathon. This weekend, at the Vero Beach Octopus Ultra, that goal became a reality. Not only did I finish my first ultra, but I crossed the finish line as the overall winner of the 50-mile race. This video documents the entire journey, from the early morning start to the final steps across the finish line. Before this race, the farthest I had ever run was 30 miles. Race day pushed me into completely new territory: 50 miles through the Florida heat in July, across the beach, through the jungle, over bridges, through mud and water. Every obstacle imaginable was out there, and this is a raw look at what the day was really like. The race may have lasted over 9 hours, but it was built over six months.Nearly 1,000 miles of training. Countless early mornings. Running in the rain, the heat, while traveling, before flights, after long days, and on the days I didn't feel like running. We trusted the process, stayed consistent, and it paid off. None of this would have been possible without the people around me. To my crew, my dad, William Stewart, and Alex Rich, thank you for being there every step of the way. Knowing I had you at every aid station gave me the confidence to keep moving forward. I couldn't have asked for a better team. To my coach, Sean Rhodes, thank you for believing in me, building the plan, and preparing me for this challenge. Your guidance made this day possible. I'm also incredibly thankful to be part of the Savannah Bananas organization. The amount of encouragement I received from everyone throughout this journey meant more than you know. To my teammates and everyone behind the scenes, thank you for believing in me. And to Banana Nation, thank you for always showing up with so much support. A special thank you to Kylee for coming out to the race and cheering me on, it meant the world. Finally, thank you to everyone who followed this journey, sent a message, left a comment, or encouraged me along the way. Every bit of support helped carry me through. This is a day I'll never forget, but it's only the beginning. If there's one thing this experience taught me, it's that you're capable of far more than you think. Dream Big, Trust The Process, and Keep Moving Forward. There are many more miles ahead. 🏃