Squaw Valley, California — In the build up to last weekend’s Broken Arrow Skyrace in Squaw Valley, California, Dani Moreno had her sights set high. “Going in I knew I wanted to try to win, and I even thought on the right day a course record would be possible if I ran the course right.”

Judging by the result—a win and course record for the 26 kilometer race—Moreno did indeed run the course right. Coming from sea level to a race that starts at 6200 feet, and heads straight up from there, she knew that managing her effort throughout the race would be key to avoiding the dreaded ‘red zone’ of overexertion, from which there is no return. “After studying the course I knew that my effort for the first 6 miles had to be somewhat conservative, considering there was such a hefty climb for the middle portion, and so it was a great feeling knowing that I was holding back, or at a minimum that my body felt like it was.”

For Moreno, the extra challenges presented by Skyrunning are part of the appeal of the series. “My favorite part, hands-down, was the top of the climb where we were scrambling and even got to go up this sick ladder! After my first big trail race, I began to do a lot of research and immediately was drawn to the Skyrunning series… So winning it and setting a course record was pretty surreal and such a confidence booster that I could indeed be pretty good at Mountain Running.”

Moreno has secured a spot on the US Skyrunning team, which will give her the opportunity to put those skills to good use at the Skyrunning World Championships, which will be hosted in Kinlochleven, Scotland September 13 to 15.