With any big dream, there’s always a moment when it feels too big, too unattainable, and maybe even a little crazy to say out loud. For Brooke Deans, that moment came in the fall of 2023 when she decided to take on the challenge of a lifetime: running a 100-mile race. And not just any race—the Canyons 100 Mile Endurance Run, part of the prestigious UTMB World Series, and the only major of its kind in North America. Brooke had only been racing for a year, with three races under her belt—two 50Ks and one 50-miler. But she was ready for this monumental leap.
Training Begins at Movement
To tackle a challenge like the Canyons 100, Brooke knew she needed a serious training plan. No more “run often and keep active” approach—this was an endurance event on another level. For four months leading up to the race, Brooke dedicated herself to a 4-5 day weekly strength training regimen at Movement Portland, where she’d been a member for five years. The gym had become a second home for her training, and the community there was part of her motivation.
“I couldn’t think of a better place to spend hours training,” she said.
Alongside her strength training, Brooke joined a 10-week track workout series, attended yoga classes for mobility, and kept up with cross-training, including climbing, to maintain balance. It was a demanding schedule, pushing her to about three hours of training every weekday with weekends full of active recovery. As she amped up her training, Brooke quickly realized she was pushing her limits—and her body began to feel it. By February, she was seeing a physical therapist, strategically lightening her strength workouts, and reducing mileage, but her dedication didn’t waver.
Testing Limits with a 50-Mile Trial
With five weeks to go before the Canyons 100, Brooke tested her fitness with the Badger Mountain 50 Miler. This race was a turning point, not only for her physical strength but also for her mental confidence. Despite challenging weather and technical terrain, she finished as the first female, completing over 8 hours of racing with nearly 9,000 feet of vertical gain. Brooke felt ready—solid and prepared to keep pushing.
“I honestly felt like I could have gone more,” she shared.
But shortly after her victory, Brooke faced a setback when she injured her foot during a track workout. She spent most of April in pain, unable to run at her usual volume and adjusting to an earlier-than-expected taper. “How in the world was I going to pull this off?” she wondered. Still, she remained focused, drawing strength from the support of friends and family who had made plans to cheer her on.
Race Day: The Journey of 100 Miles Begins
When race day arrived in Auburn, CA, Brooke felt the energy of the town buzzing with excitement. With her crew at her side and her gear packed, she prepared to start the 100-mile journey through mud, rain, and endless trail. The course quickly turned from challenging to brutal, with rain turning into hail and trails becoming rivers of mud. Brooke relied on her training at Movement, pacing herself through the miles and focusing on each aid station as a checkpoint to manage the enormity of the race.
“The buzz was energizing though. We were all about to embark on such a big feat, it was more than a race - this was a journey. We would see, feel, experience, and become someone new on the other side. I started in the back, met a fellow Portlander, and headed off at a steady 9-9:30 min/mile pace. Soon enough the rain turned into hail, the trail was filled with water, and I did my best to be efficient and dry."
"To accomplish something this massive, it is necessary to break the task into manageable pieces, like focusing on the next aid station, the next time I’d see my crew, or getting to the top of a climb."
The day turned into night, and as temperatures dropped, Brooke met her crew at mile 47 for what she jokingly called a “spa day.” Her feet were bruised, her ankle was swollen, and her toenails were taking a beating. Her crew dried her soaked shoes with the car heater, taped her blistered toes, and got her back on the trail.
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"I sat in the camp chair and was assisted in taking off my shoes. My feet and toenails were mangled. My left ankle was swollen. Fortunately, no signs of pain coming from my right foot, the original worry .... After some warm food and getting equipped with my night kit, I was off 45 minutes later into the dusk with over 50 miles to go."
Surviving the Dark Hours
After reaching the 63-mile mark, Brooke picked up a pacer who helped keep her motivated and moving through the darkest, coldest hours of the night. Her pace slowed, her energy faded, and her feet were completely wrecked. By mile 76, it was almost 5:00 a.m., and Brooke felt physically and mentally depleted. Her crew reported that she "looked pretty wrecked" She barely had the energy to answer questions, and her crew did their best to prepare her for the final leg.
"I could barely talk. I was being peppered with questions: What do you want to eat? Do you want shorts or long pants? Do you want these socks or those socks? Which hat do you want to wear? I don’t know, you decide, my frontal lobe had gone to sleep"
"The medic asked, after he bandaged me up, if I was dropping out of the race too. I immediately replied 'No, I am not dropping!' I truly thought it was a ludicrous question, one that had never crossed my mind. I was determined to get to the end."
With her second pacer by her side, Brooke set out with one goal: finish the remaining marathon distance to the finish line.
The Final Push to the Finish Line
As morning broke and the sun began to rise, Brooke felt a newfound surge of energy. The end was in sight, and as she moved through the final miles, she focused on every step. She maintained her place in the top ten, pushing her pace on the uphills and pushing through each moment of pain. The final two miles, on paved road, felt brutal on her battered feet, but Brooke knew she was almost there.
“When I turned the final corner to see the finish line arch, I ran with everything I had left.”
Brooke crossed the finish line with a time of just under 28 hours and 30 minutes, securing a 7th-place finish, exactly where she hoped to be. With a place in the top 10, she secured her spot at the “Olympics” of trail running the following year: the UTMB 100-mile race in Chamonix, France.
Reflections on a Life-Changing Experience
In the days after the race, Brooke took time to reflect on the magnitude of her accomplishment. She felt an overwhelming sense of pride and gratitude for her community, her crew, and the training she’d put in at Movement.
“If you keep challenging yourself, setting ambitious goals, and working toward them, maybe you could just find what you’re really capable of,” she said.
Brooke’s journey to the Canyons 100 Mile Endurance Run is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when you’re willing to push your limits, trust your training, and never give up. Her experience speaks not only to her strength as an athlete but also to the supportive community at Movement that has been with her every step of the way. Congratulations, Brooke, on this incredible achievement—you inspire us all to dream big, train hard, and see just how far we can go. You can follow all of her adventures over on Instagram @brookskyd
