TULSA, Okla. -- An area woman tackled one of the most grueling physical and mental challenges there is when it comes to running, giving her a spot in the Turkey Mountain history books.
Bevin Ver Brugge became the first person to run a 100-miler at Turkey Mountain on Saturday, finishing in 36 hours.
“I was completely physically obliterated at that point,” Ver Brugge said. “My legs were absolutely trashed."
Trail running 100 miles is not a sport not for the faint of heart.
“Four or 5 years ago I used to hate it,” she said. “I used to not understand why anyone in the world would want to run a 5K.”
But somewhere down the road, Ver Brugge found a passion for running. She began running 5Ks and eventually transitioned into marathons.
Trail running however is a different beast. Not only are the trails more geographically demanding, but the terrain can be physically painful as well.
“If you've ever been out to Turkey you know what the trails are like,” Ver Brugge said. “It’s incredibly rocky and rooty [sic].”
For Ver Brugge, Turkey Mountain was the perfect setting to go for a run — a 100 mile run. Her love for the course had grown over time and it became a special place for her to unwind. She couldn’t think of a better place to face her first 100-miler.
She contacted River Parks officials and received permission to run the trails past curfew to achieve her goal.
On Saturday morning, Ver Brugge hit the ground running. She said beginning an ultra marathon can be mentally difficult, but she felt calm and relaxed. Each mile she settled into her pace, but a wall of fatigue would eventually set in.
“I get to around mile 70, it's the middle of the night, I’ve been on my feet for a really long time,” Ver Brugge recalled.
She said her body was telling her to stop, but her heart was ready to keep fighting.
“That's when I started getting in that pain cave pretty hardcore,” Ver Brugge said.
Quitting was not an option as her team stayed by her side until the end. She said her team was a constant support system, fueling her with food and water along the way.
“The hardest thing I have ever done physically or mentally in my entire life just coming to this one point — where I was crossing that finish line,” she said.
It was an emotional finish and a run proving more than just physical fitness.
“If your reasons are right, if your motivations are right, if you can keep things together mentally, it's unbelievable what you can accomplish.”
Ver Brugge is now the first person ever recorded to complete 100 miles on Turkey Mountain, a feat not easy to accomplish.
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