Kate Motsko and I share a common conceit: we've both received the Spirit of Dan Keitz award, the highest honor bestowed by Tejas Trails. I won it in 2022 (and had no idea that it existed) and Kate got it this year. It is well-deserved.

She has a storied career as an ultrarunner but also has sustained some epic injuries along the way.

She's taken up cycling in the meanwhile and has some ambitious goals.

Last fall she was the assistant race director for the inaugural Great Springs trail race in San Marcos.

She says she enjoys volunteering at the particularly long races because she can apply her hard-earned expertise to help the runners get through the tough parts.

She has an infectious smile and upbeat attitude. You should run a Tejas race to see her in action.

In other news, my washing machine saga continues. I had lunch with my birthday-month buddy, Jessica Kestermann and offer shout-outs to a few folks who tackled the Rocky Raccoon 100 and 100K this past weekend. It was a slopfest, based on what I saw.

Kudos to anyone who tried.