THE NAVAJO ULTRA RUNNER AND THE IRREPRESSIBLE BORDER COLLIE PUP WHO SAVED HIM
Runner's World|Issue 4, 2021
LAST DECEMBER, ELI NEZTSOSIE FOUND HIMSELF 70 MILES FROM THE NEAREST TOWN, 40 MILES FROM THE CLOSEST GAS STATION, AND THREE MILES FROM HIS HORSE, WHEN DARKNESS FELL OVER THE ARIZONA DESERT.
JARED BEASLEY
THE NAVAJO ULTRA RUNNER AND THE IRREPRESSIBLE BORDER COLLIE PUP WHO SAVED HIM

The rancher and his dog, Tractor, had been pushing 25 head of cattle down to the low country for the winter. But the trail had grown too narrow, too rugged. Even Eli’s sure-footed horse, Two Socks, could break an ankle, or worse, trip and send them both off a cliff. So Eli had dismounted, turned on his cellphone light, and called out for Tractor to push—guide the cattle—the last few miles.

Now at the bottom of the canyon, with the herd in and the gate closed, he cursed himself for getting greedy. What usually took two people and two days, he’d tried to do alone and in one. He’d always prided himself on doing things alone, but this was too much. The sun had disappeared faster than he’d expected, and now the chill was creeping into his bones. He checked his cell battery: 3 percent.

Under the moonless sky, Eli the rancher became Eli the trail runner as he burned it back toward Two Socks. His cowboy boots shifted and turned on stones and brushy plants, his Wranglers holding back his stride like a rubber band. But within a mile, his phone was dead, and the dark crept right up to his eyeballs.

In the high desert, bad things come out at night. If it doesn’t stick, sting, or bite, it isn’t alive. Then there’s the canyon itself: A hundred-foot drop is always lurking, without a soul for miles to hear or help.

Again, Eli turned to Tractor. As Eli’s run slowed to a hike in the darkness, the border collie instinctively jogged ahead, methodically picking his way back up the trail, always sure to keep Eli close. He sees what Eli doesn’t, smells what he can’t. In streaks and jumps, Eli’s eyes strained to stay with the white spot on the back of the dog’s neck. When he lost the spot, Eli followed the sound of the Tractor’s breathing. And in less than half an hour, they were back at Two Socks, who could deliver them home by memory.

This story is from the Issue 4, 2021 edition of Runner's World.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the Issue 4, 2021 edition of Runner's World.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM RUNNER'S WORLDView All
At 9 Years Old, He Fled War in Sudan. NOW HE'S MAKING HISTORY.
Runner's World US

At 9 Years Old, He Fled War in Sudan. NOW HE'S MAKING HISTORY.

Dominic Lobalu is one of the top middle-distance runners on the planet. How he went from refugee limbo to the Olympic Games.

time-read
10+ mins  |
Winter 2024
SHE HAS NO COACH, NO TRAINING PLAN, AND SEEMINGLY NO LIMITS
Runner's World US

SHE HAS NO COACH, NO TRAINING PLAN, AND SEEMINGLY NO LIMITS

INSIDE THE CANDY-CHOMPING, PAIN-FUELED, INFECTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC WORLD OF COURTNEY DAUWALTER

time-read
10+ mins  |
Winter 2024
BEST NEW SHOES YOU CAN BUY NOW
Runner's World US

BEST NEW SHOES YOU CAN BUY NOW

Anta. Rabbit. Nnormal. Mount to Coast. There are so many new running shoe companies that you may have trouble determining which, if any, might be right for you. That's where our wear-test team comes in. More than 200 runners logged thousands of miles in 74 different models of shoes-from not only new companies but also those established decades ago― to help find out how each performs best. Here are the trainers, racers, and trail shoes that stood out.

time-read
10+ mins  |
Winter 2024
He Was One of the Best Ultrarunners in the World. THEN RUSSIA INVADED UKRAINE
Runner's World US

He Was One of the Best Ultrarunners in the World. THEN RUSSIA INVADED UKRAINE

Before his deployment to the frontlines, multitime Ukrainian champion Andrii Tkachuk had never run better. Would he race again?

time-read
10+ mins  |
Winter 2024
HOW TO FIND CREATE YOUR PACES
Runner's World US

HOW TO FIND CREATE YOUR PACES

IT WAS A hot summer afternoon on Cold Soil Road, and I had just finished the \"First Speed Run,\" a guided run in the Nike Run Club app.

time-read
3 mins  |
Winter 2024
COULD YOU TEACH YOUR CAT TO RUN?
Runner's World US

COULD YOU TEACH YOUR CAT TO RUN?

**EYE OF THE TIGER' was written for you, Fiona!\" I cry, pointing at our one-eyed, 4-year-old black cat resting on our carpet. Hearing her name, she rolls onto her back, offering her stomach for a belly rub. But this is no time for pampering. I need to tell her my master plan.

time-read
3 mins  |
Winter 2024
RUN RIGHT PAST IMPOSTOR SYNDROME
Runner's World US

RUN RIGHT PAST IMPOSTOR SYNDROME

GROWING UP, I played basketball, softball, and lacrosse, even dabbled in fencing, but always stayed away from running. Other kids were faster than me, so I left running to them. When I moved to New York in my early 30s, I discovered the joy of a 5K, and started to lace up regularly.

time-read
2 mins  |
Winter 2024
WHICH RUNNING GEAR IS-AND ISN'T-WORTH YOUR MONEY
Runner's World US

WHICH RUNNING GEAR IS-AND ISN'T-WORTH YOUR MONEY

RUNNING, AT ITS Core, is a relatively low-gear sport, but people love to bemoan that it's increasingly expensive. I agree-paying $120 for a long-sleeve T-shirt or shelling out hundreds for compression boots seems bonkers to me.

time-read
4 mins  |
Winter 2024
STOP TRYING TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY PIN. IT'S PERFECT AS IS.
Runner's World US

STOP TRYING TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY PIN. IT'S PERFECT AS IS.

DURING THE PARIS Olympics, Brodie Kane, a podcaster from New Zealand, posted a video to Instagram, railing against safety pins. The post garnered more than 11,000 likes and 750 comments.

time-read
2 mins  |
Winter 2024
WHY RACING A 5K FEELS MENTALLY MORE CHALLENGING THAN A HALF MARATHON
Runner's World US

WHY RACING A 5K FEELS MENTALLY MORE CHALLENGING THAN A HALF MARATHON

STANDING ON THE starting line of any race-but especially when I'm vying for a faster finish time-I feel a twinge of anxiety pop up, whispering worries in my ear that something might go wrong. For example, I'll miss my goal and all the hard work of training will have been for nothing. Or I'll end up slogging through the miles and regretting every step. Or worse, I'll find myself injured and sidelined.

time-read
4 mins  |
Winter 2024