Marathon duo

MEG POTTER / NEWS&GUIDE PHOTOS Rachel Rambo and her mother, Faith Alberti, hold up their medals after completing the Jackson Hole Half Marathon. Rambo lives in Jackson, and Alberti lives in South Londonberry, Vermont.

Mom and daughter run together

Rachel Rambo, Faith Alberti cross finish line side by side.

By Will Aldrich

Running in a marathon can be one of the most rewarding experiences for any kind of outdoor enthusiast. The only thing that could make the finish even more sweet: finishing it side by side with your mother.

When Jackson transplant Rachel Rambo moved into town in 2013 she brought in very little experience as a runner. But eight years later she made the decision to take on another half marathon, something she had tasked herself with only a few times before.

The daughter of seasoned distance runner Faith Alberti, Rambo grew up as a skier and soccer player in a rural, small community outside of Stratton, Vermont.

Rambo was given an opportunity to spend a summer in Jackson with a close friend, and eight years later the New England native still hasn’t made her way back north.

While she moved into a region filled with copious opportunities for outdoor recreation, there was still one thing that she hadn’t been able to check off her bucket list: completing a half marathon with her mother.

Alberti, who has a much different history as a runner, has completed around 30 half marathons in her life. … or at least enough to lose count. After Rambo spent years cheering on her mother as she took on local marathons in the New England region, she began to be inspired to go out and follow in her footsteps.

While the two have completed relaystyle half-marathons in the past, they were looking for something where they would be by each other’s side the entire time. With Alberti set to visit her daughter in Jackson in late September and the 2021 Jackson Hole Marathon looming in the future, the stage was set for the duo to fulfill their goal together.

While admitting her mother is on a completely different level when it comes to distance running, Rambo recognized the prospect of being able to complete the event together as one that would be so much more meaningful, even if it was a one time thing.

“She’s really the runner,” Rambo said. “She’s the inspiration behind it. You know, she’s in her 60s, so it’s pretty inspiring that she’s still running. When she signed up for the one in Jackson, I was like, ‘Well, of course, there’s no way I can’t run it.’”

Running her entire life, Alberti is able to fuel her passion in Vermont by finding other women her age with the same interest. As a group of female runners with a common goal, they look to push each other to be their best selves.

Without the aid of a similar group, Rambo was forced to complete all of the necessary preparation by herself as she awaited her mother’s arrival into town.

Although competitiveness may run in the family, make no mistake: Their goal had nothing to do with a time on the stopwatch or any kind of podium finish.

“It was just about doing the whole thing together and finishing together,” Rambo said. “That was our goal.”

Hours after departing from the Presbyterian church in downtown Jackson, the two strolled into Teton Village as one. Though struggling through sections late in the course and with fatigue setting in, they were rewarded when they crossed through the elk antler finish line.

The two finished the Jackson Hole half-marathon nearly simultaneously with a time of 2:29:29, comfortably mixed into the middle of the pack with the rest of the competition’s runners.

Suddenly, after hours of cramps and fatigue, it all became worth it. The two completed their decadelong goal of completing a marathon as a motherand-daughter duo.

“It was awesome,” Alberti said with a glowing smile. “I was so proud of her.”

“It felt incredible,” Rambo said. “It just felt so special to do it with my mom. We have been talking about it for almost a decade leading up to this. It’s just something we always wanted to do.”

“Just take it slow and listen to your body,” Rambo advised for beginner runners. “Just work very slowly on your endurance and your mileage . ... I think that’s the best way to do it. Just don’t overdo it because if you do, you’re not going to enjoy the process.”

Two runners cross the Jackson Hole Half Marathon finish line in Teton Village.

Continuing to push herself outside her comfort zone, Rambo encourages others to do the same.

“It definitely felt empowering,” she said. “It felt like all that time, energy and hard work I put into training was all worth it.” -----------------------------------------------------------Contact Will Aldrich at 732-7065 or sports@jhnewsandguide.com.