No One Runs It Alone

PC: Nils Nilsen/Speedgoat Mountain Races by UTMB

Speedgoat is rugged, hot, and high. Runners know it for its sharp climbs and sharper descents. But this short film from Näak doesn’t dwell on the terrain. Instead, it lets something softer come through: how no one really runs a race like this alone.

Jazmine Lowther returns from injury to win the women’s race—an impressive performance, but it’s not framed as a solo act. Her coach, Michelino Sunseri, is there at every aid station. He holds the reins when her instinct is to push. He cools her off, loads her bottles, gives a nod. The finish line moment belongs to her, but the effort? That was shared.

It’s a reminder that ultra running is rarely just one person moving through the mountains. It’s a team sport, even when there’s only one bib.

Speedgoat was the first mountain ultra I ever ran. I didn’t win. I didn’t line up as a pro. But it’s stayed with me. It showed me what it means to move through something hard, surrounded by people who want to see you finish strong.