Abby Hall crowned a quite incredible comeback from a serious knee injury when she ran away with a career-defining victory at Western States last weekend.
The American had a rollercoaster ride just to grab a place in the race, getting a last-gasp Golden Ticket after a spot rolled down when EmKay Sullivan took a pregnancy deferral.
And in an understandably emotional reaction to by far her biggest win to date, Hall says she hopes it will give hope to others who are battling injury demons.
Keeping the dream alive
She said: “I really felt like the whole day that I was kind of supposed to be here and that it was going to find its way to work out.
“There were definitely some blows along the way and I’ve had some rough hundreds [100-mile races] in the past so this officially dispels the belief that I’m not good at hundreds.
“You have to keep the dream alive through thick and thin, through the dark times, through the moments where no one’s watching.
“That is the stuff that makes the days like this. I really believe that with my whole heart.”
‘See it through’
And reaching out to others, she added: “So to anyone out there who is going through their own version of that, I mean, I see you. I relate in my own way – keep going, keep seeing it through, keep hoping and believing.
“And keep your love for – if we’re talking in the context of sport – keep your love for the sport at the forefront, and that will never lead you astray.”
Lovely words from a fantastic champion after what was yet another memorable edition of the oldest and most iconic 100-miler out there.
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