At Mobile Spine Specialist, we spend a great deal of time helping people return to the activities that make them feel like themselves, whether that is walking/running the greenbelt without back pain, playing a round of golf, or training for a race. Then there are activities that challenge the usual definition of “running.”
After picking up long-distance running in 2024, following recovery from limiting low back pain and a left foot injury, I immediately jumped into two marathons (Los Angeles, CA, and Singapore International) and a half marathon (San Diego, CA) in 2025. After burning out on road running, a friend (Thanks, Michael) told me about something called pack burro racing. As soon as I saw donkeys running next to runners on YouTube, I knew this would be a fun respite from typical road running!
From Mining Camps to Modern Racing
Pack burro racing has deep roots in the mining history of the American West. In the 19th century, burros were practical working animals for miners, prospectors, ranchers, and travelers as they could carry tools, food, water, and supplies through rugged country. The legendary story that exemplifies the burros’ role in American West history is that two prospectors found gold at the same mining location and had to race back into town with their burros to be the first to file the claim to that mine. Whether every detail of that account is historically verifiable matters less than what it represents. The sport came from a real culture of hard travel, difficult terrain, self-reliance, and a working relationship between a human and an animal.
The first formal event in modern pack burro racing took place in Colorado in 1949. Organizers challenged racers to travel from Leadville to Fairplay over Mosquito Pass for a $500 prize. Twenty-one contestants and their pack-saddled burros lined up near the Leadville courthouse for a 22.9-mile route over rugged mountain terrain, with only eight finishing. Today, organized races are held in Colorado, Arizona, California, New Mexico, and in parts of Wisconsin and Tennessee.
Having run marathons on paved roads, where you only have to worry about your own performance, I can tell you that running rugged trails at elevation, with progressive incline and switchbacks, on top of having to manage your donkey buddy’s behavior/performance, is deceptively tougher than one would think.
The Ruidoso, NM Challenge
Ruidoso sits at approximately 7,000 feet above sea level, well above the elevation most Texas runners experience in daily training at less than 1,000 feet. Add uneven trail, changing grades, weather shifts, a burro, and a course that may approach the half-marathon range, and the result is a meaningful endurance challenge.
The Sierra Blanca Burro Bonanza was the very first burro race ever in Ruidoso and was promoted with a short course near 3 miles and a long course described as about 12.5 miles (but really turned out to be 14.2 miles. The official course wasn’t finalized until three days before the race on August 22, 2026, which made prepping a bit of a challenge. Other event coverage described a variable 6- to 9-mile long-course format, so if you’re planning on doing this, you should always verify the current year’s route, distance, elevation profile, and rules directly with the race organizer (if they know) before planning and training. Given this was the first of what will be an annual event, things don’t always run as smoothly as we would like. What was consistent was the character of the event: mountain terrain, technical footing, climbing, descending, altitude, and teamwork.
So what are the rules? Pretty simple: the burro with the requisite pack and equipment cannot be ridden at any time, and both runner and burro must cross the finish line together, but the official time ends when the burro crosses, with an attached locator on the burro’s halter. If the burro runs off, you yell “burro on the loose” to notify other runners, and you must retrieve your burro and go back to the spot where you both got separated (not likely to happen, as most of the burros are trained and will likely stop and munch on the next patch of grass they come across, which was everywhere).
The best racer is not necessarily the fastest runner. The best team is often the one that communicates, adapts, and keeps moving forward without turning every obstacle into a fight. Part of the major appeal of this race is the interaction you have with your donkey, being able to read their actions, going with the flow of when they are motivated to run, and effectively coaxing them when they want to stop and eat (which, if you give them the opportunity, they’ll do that all day). You are not going to outmuscle your donkey, so being able to connect and encourage them when they feel unmotivated is key.
That unpredictability is part of the appeal, and I certainly took away a lot from being in this event.
What Running with a Burro Teaches Us
At Mobile Spine Specialist, we’re adamant about making sure progress is measurable so we can confirm improvement is happening. Preparation is always key. For any race choosing the right hydration vest (Salomon Adv Skin 12 at REI was money, sleek with no jostling), bringing enough water (2 liters of regular water and a liter of electrolytes got me through no problem), running shoes (trail running shoes is an absolute must for gripping rock and dirt) and working on improving power in your posterior chain (soleus, tibialis posterior, flexor halluci longus, gluts, hamstrings) to get up hills, eccentric loading of the quads (for the downhill), and core and upper back endurance (your burro may require pushing and pulling as you direct them for 14 miles). You can do all those things within your control, and the outcome may not go as planned because it’s not about you; it’s purely about your burro buddy. Running with a burro is a practical lesson in accepting the difference between control and influence. You can plead, negotiate, beg, or strong-arm for control and get nowhere with your four-legged friend, or go more subtle and soft with better results.
Progress is Not Always Linear
In rehabilitation, people often expect recovery to be a straight line: pain begins, treatment happens, pain disappears. In reality, recovery can include good weeks, flare-ups, plateaus, adjustments, and renewed progress.
A burro race works the same way. Forward progress may be fast, then slow. You may have to pause, reassess, change the approach, and start moving again. What works to get your donkey running in one stretch of the race may not work in other stretches. You must stay engaged every second because one moment you may be in simpatico with your burro, and in a split second they can suddenly stop, for any and many reasons, causing you to jerk back and lose balance. They also can just start running in a second to keep up with a pack of burros ahead or to stay ahead of those behind. You have to be ready to take what they give you at any time while minding your own performance and status.
The lesson is not “push through everything.” The lesson is to stay engaged with the process and be present in mind every second.
Brute Force is Usually a Poor Strategy
This lesson can be hard for some people to accept. You cannot win a partnership by yanking, panicking, or escalating tension. A patient’s pain, stiffness, and reduced performance deserve attention, but aggressive reactions are not always the best solution. Sometimes the next productive step is to reduce the load, address mobility, strengthen a weak link, or change the training plan. Good care is not about overpowering the problem. It is about identifying what the system needs.
Running with my burro, you could tell when he needed encouragement: the lowering of his head, the increased frequency of his sighs. Sometimes talking softly and giving him a scratch behind the ears brought renewed motivation to run for a stretch; sometimes varying the tension on the rope did the same. Constantly reinventing soft cues yielded better results than simply trying to pull and muscle him across the finish line. One thing that became apparent during the race was how in tune you needed to be with your burro buddy and how to find solutions that didn’t force him, but encouraged him to pick up the pace. Whether you are trying to coax your child to finish eating their vegetables, get your coworker or boss to understand how your solution can be helpful, or get your patient to buy into performing boring but precise and appropriate exercises, effective influence is usually subtle and soft, not loud and in your face.
Partnership Changes Performance
No one reaches a meaningful goal alone. Coaches, clinicians, family members, training partners, and friends all matter. A burro makes the principle visible: success comes from communication, trust, boundaries, and mutual adaptation. You and your burro buddy are completing it together. You are not simply focusing on your own performance but are sensitive and aware of the surrounding circumstances that affect your burro partner. For example, in areas with a lot of vegetation, my burro buddy would stop and eat more often. Whenever we came to a more desolate area, we would take advantage of him not having to stop and eat with louder verbal cueing (HEAWW!) and loosening up the rope, followed by quicker steps on my end to get him to initiate running, although he seemed to pick up on that himself as the race went on. This was a perfect example of teamwork makes the dream work!
How Did it Go?
I can’t speak completely for my burro buddy, but I think we had a great time! At the finish, I still had plenty in the tank, and the elevation wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. My burro buddy, I wouldn’t say, was tired but appeared content that we finished and, to no surprise, ready to eat when we were done! It was mentally challenging because of the items mentioned above. I would say running a marathon is still more physically taxing, but not nearly as much fun! My upper trapezius was the sorest from managing my burro, but everything else was great. Being there a couple of days before the race really helped me acclimate to the elevation. The training run with the burro the day before the race, with the handlers (Lynn and Linda), and staying hydrated before and during were extremely helpful. The main goal was to have fun (which I can’t express how much it was; the views around Grindstone Lake were awesome!) and not get injured (check!). I came in third from last, which meant I missed out on the Last Ass Award (LOL). Will do it again, and I encourage you to give it a shot as well! You’ll learn a lot and be reminded that being a novice at anything is what makes life exciting and worthwhile. Stay well and be well, Mobile Spine Family!
People and Places
Lynn and Linda Drain of Burro Buddies: Thinking of participating in your first or next burro race in California, Colorado, or New Mexico? Contact Lynn and Linda. They are absolutely bonkers about burros and will make sure you are good to go for your race. Thank you, guys! Had a blast!
Contact: burrobuddies@gmail.com
Log Cabin Restaurant: When in Ruidoso, NM, you want to stop off here for breakfast. Not kidding, I think I had the best biscuits and gravy (and I’ve had a lot in my life), maybe ever at this restaurant! Everything ordered was delicious, and in a fantastic, rustic setting.
1074 Mechem Dr, Ruidoso, NM 88345
Monjeau Lookout: If you’re looking for breathtaking views, this 5.5-mile trek in the Lincoln National Forest, either by foot or car, to a stone lookout point is an awesome place to visit! Fellas, you can impress your significant other with a day picnic spot near the top with sweeping views of the mountain ranges. It’s at 10,000 feet elevation, so there may be some cardiovascular strain for some, but it’s very much worth the journey.
