Trail Sisters Half Marathon & 10k

September 14th • Buena Vista, CO

The Thin Places: Running With Loss

Lauren is a Midwest transplant living in Boulder, Colorado. She started running in college and competed in road races until she discovered the magic of the trails. Lauren was bitten by the ultra bug after moving to Boulder in 2014 and is a member of the Rocky Mountain Runners in Boulder. When not exploring the great outdoors, Lauren is a TItle IX attorney representing women across the country who are victims of sexual assault and sexual harassment. Her favorite trail companions are her husband, Brad and her crazy but loveable Aussie, Trout (@wildcotrout).

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Seven months ago, on May 24, 2017, my Dad passed away unexpectedly. I live constantly with the memories of my Mom’s panicked phone call that my Dad had collapsed at the gym, the initial speaker phone conference with the doctor who proclaimed that the surgery to repair his aortic aneurysm had gone well, and the hours of confusion when my Dad wouldn’t stop bleeding, leading a nurse to call me and tell me, urgently, to get in the first plane home, NOW. 

I cried that entire plane ride, spooking my travel companions no doubt, but unsure of what message would await me when we landed. After a frenzied drive through the night, flying through red lights and speeding across town, I arrived in time to share those final moments with my Dad, something for which I am forever grateful.

Lauren and her father, Larry, on the summit of a Colorado 14er.

In the weeks and months that followed, running and I have had a complicated relationship. My Dad is my original connection to running, and the source of my love for the outdoors. A talented distance runner and accomplished marathoner, many of my earliest memories are of fun-runs and mile challenges with my Dad. I remember lining up at start lines with him, proudly pinning on race bibs, and agonizing over painful training runs around the local track.  As all good teenagers do, part of my angsty rebellion involved rejecting my Dad’s love of running, refusing his suggestion that I join the cross-country team, and generally distancing myself from the sport we had once shared.

Larry competing at a road race, back in the day.

It was only in college that I returned to running on my own, venturing into longer runs and eventually training for my first marathon. I ran my first marathon back in my hometown, and there has never been a more enthusiastic fan than my Dad.  As I rediscovered my love for running, my Dad proudly accompanied me to packet pickups, joined me for warm-ups, flew to stay with me in hotels and cheer me on at races, and eagerly dissected my performances with me, always making plans for what might come next.

Larry and his kiddos before the start of a local race.

As I constantly moved cities and changed coasts, only rarely returning home, running became a source of re-connection for both of us. Despite lingering knee injuries, my Dad continued to run well into his 60s and, as he slowed down, made up for it by ramping up his enthusiasm for my adventures, and the adventures of my husband as well.  When we moved to Colorado, he picked up hiking, joined us up 14ers and relished days spent on the trail.  In January 2017, my Dad had knee replacement surgery. As an incentive for recovery, I asked him to help me crew my husband at the San Juan Solstice 50 miler in June. Three weeks before the race, he passed away.

In the immediate aftermath of my Dad’s death, I threw myself into running as a means of connecting with his presence. Time on the trails gave me peace and gratitude for the love of running and nature that my dad instilled in me. Races gave me a chance to dedicate my efforts to his memory. I ran the Never Summer 100k two months after my Dad’s death wearing a hat that said “What Would Larry Do?” When a race volunteer asked me, in fact, what would Larry do, I told him he would love the shit out of the experience and give it his all. And he would.

More recently, as life moves on and I struggle through a society that has increasingly little patience for my continued grief, running has become the silent space where I can still reflect on what happened and how much I miss my Dad. And that hurts. My runs are often interrupted by raw emotion that bubbles to the surface. I find myself sidelined by bouts of sobbing, or lost in memories of those last hours in the hospital with my Dad.  While I typically do most of my running with friends and love the social aspect of a good trail run, lately it’s been hard to share these painful experiences with others.

Lauren and Larry on the top of Boulder’s Green Mtn.

Shortly after my Dad died, a close friend described the idea of thin places to me. She suggested they are the places where the space between our world and whatever lies beyond grows thin and the presence of our departed loved ones feels particularly strong. For me, my thin place is on the running trail. I feel the breeze on my face, the ground beneath my feet, and am overwhelmed with how my Dad’s love for these experiences lives on with me when I run.  Sometimes it’s almost too much, but I keep coming back, longing for that continued connection with running, with the mountains, and with my Dad. Hopefully, one day, it will feel a bit easier. But for now I ask myself, what would Larry do?

About the Author

Lauren is a Midwest transplant living in Boulder, Colorado. She started running in college and competed in road races until she discovered the magic of the trails. Lauren was bitten by the ultra bug after moving to Boulder in 2014 and is a member of the Rocky Mountain Runners in Boulder. When not exploring the great outdoors, Lauren is a TItle IX attorney representing women across the country who are victims of sexual assault and sexual harassment. Her favorite trail companions are her husband, Brad and her crazy but loveable Aussie, Trout (@wildcotrout).

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Comments

11 Responses

  1. Lauren, thank you for sharing this. I too lost my dad in a very similar panicked hospital situation. He too was my biggest fan. It’s now been five years and those hospital memories do begin to fade. You’ll begin to remember more about how he lived than how he died. It’s so hard when the world around you forgets you are still grieving. Keep running and looking for those thin spaces!

  2. My mom passed away last July after a 25 year battle with cancer. I have two little kids and was anxious to get back to my first love mountain biking so I started running about 3 months ago. It’s hard, painful, and grueling, just like learning to live on without your loved one. The quiet and solitude is my favorite part of trail running. My mom was not a runner but we did the Susan G Komen 3 day walk together multiple times. When the trails get tough and the mountains get steep, her strength and determination help me push through the pain and keep going. Grief and trail running are long hard roads but they are both conquered the same way, one step at a time.

  3. Thank you so much for sharing. I too experience trails as thin places, where I can feel my late partner there with me. Big hugs to you.

  4. Lauren:
    Thank you for sharing your beautiful story. Much love to you as you learn to navigate life after the loss of your dad.

    I lost my mom, sister-in-law, and niece just over five years ago when they were killed by a drunk driver. I too have sobbed while running and have experienced the “thin” places. If it weren’t for running, I don’t know if I would have survived the weight of that early grief. I’m so grateful for every mile I’ve logged while grieving, remembering, loving, praying, and figuring life out after loss.

    Hugs and Love to you. Thanks again for sharing your story.

  5. Lauren, I’m so sorry for the loss of your dad. Nobody can tell you how long you need to grieve. I lost my dad five years ago and miss him greatly. He was a big influence in my running and I can see his supportive smiles whenever I race. Your dad sounds like he was an incredible person. Hugs to you.

  6. I am so sorry for your loss. I just lost my mom two months ago and she was my biggest fan. I totally understand how the trails can comfort us and also that I can just start crying at any moment. I sure miss telling her about my runs and upcoming races. Thank you for sharing your experience. I sure feel your pain. Your dad sounds awesome !! Hugs

  7. Thank you for sharing this. I’m so sorry you lost your dad. I’ve lost both of my parents, my mom sixteen years ago to cancer, and my dad nine years ago to a heart attack. The picture of you and your dad on the mountaintop reminds me of photos I have of me and my dad. We shared a love of hiking, and I absolutely believe that there are “thin places”. I have sobbed many times while out running. Grief never really goes away. The acute pain eases, but the grief continues and comes up at both predictable and random times. I’ve read somewhere that grief is the price we pay for love, and I have deep gratitude for the love I have and love that I have lost in my life. Your dad sounds awesome, and he will always be by your side!

  8. Thanks everyone for the heartfelt and kind comments. Although I don’t wish grief on anyone, it’s also nice to know you’re not alone. My heart and hugs go out to all of you as well.

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Sept. 14th 2024

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