When Mom Crossed The Line- A Imogene Pass Run Story

Every Moment spent training, every drop of sweat, and every heartbeat contributes to a larger narrative

Two children smiling in awe of their mother as she crosses the finish line at the 52nd Imogene Pass Run in Telluride Colorado

It's a bit of a serendipitous moment the more you look at it. Hoping to capture a runner crossing the finish line with the time behind, i ended up capturing an even better moment. With the hundreds of people running and gathering, it warms my heart to know that i may be the only one who saw a beautiful story for one family.

The mother running Imogene pass run towards the finish line as she sees her children waiting for her,

The 52nd Imogene Pass Run took place on September 6th 2025. The race is a 17.1 mile point-to-point mountain race that begins in Ouray and finishes in Telluride. This race is different than the usual 10k, half marathon etc. What i mean is, this race is not for the average racer. Between the two towns is the infamous Imogene Pass, which is a 4x4 dirt road that passes through mining ruins, up jagged peaks and way above the treeline. During the race, racers will reach an altitude above 13,000 feet. Which, if you are not familiar with altitude is extremely high. To help put into perspective, Denver (The Mile High City) is only 5,280 feet.... and yes I did say only.

The Imogene Pass Run is one where the runners have to work extremely hard to accomplish. Being able to run uphill for a very extended amount of time takes a lot of endurance, and to follow up with a whole lot of downhill.

Two children holding a sign up as she sees her mother approaching the finish line

With how tired a runner could be when they approach the finish line, this mother came in with all smiles. She didn't seem to have any signs of being tired. Heck, she looked like she was just about to start the race. This itself caught my eye. Earlier in the race i noticed a few kids with signs waiting right at the finish line, next to the time clock. I didn't think much of it until the mother came around the corner. Their eyes widened, their energy rose and they held their signs up high for her to see.

Mother giving her daughter a kiss as she crosses the finish line, her second child watches from up ahead

While the mother was already smiling from a half mile away, it became clear they were all together. As she approached the finish line she leaned in and kissed her eldest daughter who was the closest. She then gave the rest of the children a quick sign of love so she could complete the course. As she ran past them, the children followed her with their eyes filled with happiness, and their smiles shining bright. *Click* I took the photo.

Two children watching their mother accomplish the Imogene Pass Run.

When going through the photos at the end of the day, I hoped to find a clear photo of a runner and their time posted on the clock. As I scrolled, no luck. And then I remembered the mom. The one who didn't look tired, who slowed down at the finish line to see her children. There must be one there. As I find the photo I look for the clock, but one of the children is blocking it. I wasn't upset though. I felt something about this photo. I looked at it for a few minutes and remembered the entire ending of the mothers race just from this once photo. The feeling of these small children being so proud of their mother, without even knowing any strong feelings the mother may have had during this run. During the year process before the race to get to where she was in that moment. They didn't know, but they felt it.

While the number on the clock may have mattered at one point in time. The moment captured will hold a even deeper importance.