“It’s just so dang hard,” says Bryon Powell in the first few minutes of the film, “The Joyes of Hardrock.” One could say that this thought, expressed by the four-time Hardrock 100 finisher and iRunFar founder, is the perfect summation of the event, which takes place in the rugged San Juan Mountains of Colorado.
This new film follows Gabe Joyes on his second attempt at the loop, capturing not a hero’s story of reaching lofty goals, but of what happens when things don’t go as planned, but you keep going anyway. It’s also a quintessential documentary for anyone seeking meaningful, course-specific insight. If you are one of the lucky few whose name is chosen in the Hardrock 100 lottery and are looking to gather as much course knowledge as possible, this film is a must-watch. For the rest who are Hardrock hopefuls, it will make you cross your fingers even tighter for a future chance at this iconic 100-mile mountain run.
[Editor’s Note: Click here to watch the film on YouTube.]
Gabe — a professional ultrarunner from Wyoming, coach, and author of iRunFar’s Ask a Pro column — has had a Hardrock qualifier every year for the past 13 years. He had his first go at the race in 2017, placing fourth, and he returns eight years later with far more experience and knowledge. Throughout the film, he humbly shares his experience during his second chance at the event. Spoiler alert: Things don’t go quite as hoped.
Gabe Joyes at the finish of the 2025 Hardrock 100. All images are screenshots from the film “The Joyes of Hardrock” unless otherwise noted.
After entering the lottery for a single race for nearly a decade and a half, it’s easy to imagine how much your life might change from the day you first applied to when you actually run the race. Gabe returns this year with his wife, Jenny Joyes, and their two young daughters and Australian Shepherd puppy, hoping to recapture the magic of his 2017 finish. With elite athlete and close friend Luke Nelson, who finished Hardrock in 2022, joining the effort, as well as his coach, Chantelle Robitaille, Joyes’ crew is complete.
The standout quality of this film is that Gabe is so relatable. He’s a dad, husband, and coach, in addition to being a professional runner, and he’s navigating the same balancing act that most of us face daily. He’s very human when he says, “Seeing Handies Peak from the trailhead and looking up, and the thought of, ‘I’m going to go up there with my own two feet?’ It looks impossibly far and impossibly high up.” It’s refreshing to know that someone with Gabe’s pedigree has these daunting thoughts as well. Gabe balances the same doubts and calculations that arise for any of us when looking thousands of feet up at the mountains on the course.
Gabe in full stride on one of the many descents.
For any aspiring Hardrocker, the chronological nature of this film makes it perfect for course recon homework. We follow Gabe up and down each climb chronologically, seeing the challenges and mistakes as they happen along the way. What endears us to Gabe is the way he takes these challenges in stride.
Nelson refers to Ouray, the town and aid station roughly halfway through the loop, as a “cruxy time.” It is the perfect description as we watch Gabe arrive, just “hanging on,” struggling with the heat and eating. It’s a stark contrast to listening to him describe his 2017 experience in the town as one of the most special moments of the event. Although the lowest elevation part of the course, the cumulative effects of what came before and what lies ahead seem to manifest themselves here, but we see his crew rally behind him and make sure he has everything he needs for the second half, including picking up Nelson as a pacer. Leaving Ouray too hastily can make the long climb toward Telluride become a slow grind for even the most seasoned, prepared, and gritty of athletes, and it’s clear that Gabe is struggling as he walks away from the aid station and his family.
Gabe and his crew (left to right). Chantelle Robitaille, Jenny Joyes, and Luke Nelson, before heading back out into the night. Photo: Niko Carste
Often, we enter a race with a set of goals in mind. Few races honor these goals less than Hardrock. We see Gabe accept this toward the end of the film when he and Jenny crest the top of Grant-Swamp Pass to the treat of a gorgeous and crisp mountain sunrise. “Screw times and placements,” Gabe exclaims and begins his descent toward the KT aid station. It echoes a sentiment expressed by Jenny earlier in the film when she points out that the event is called a run, not a race, for a reason.
Gabe and Jenny on top of Grant-Swamp Pass at sunrise.
In the film’s closing moments, Nelson reflects on Gabe’s initial time goal, which he missed by a significant margin: “It’s so rare that all those things come together and that those goals are met. But it is way more special when those things go sideways, and you still figure it out.” That sentiment captures exactly why Hardrock is so special and why this film’s unflinching, honest portrayal of Gabe’s 2025 journey is essential viewing.
Call for Comments
- What did you think of the film? Did it make you want to go play in the San Juans?
- How have you handled scenarios where things haven’t gone as planned?
Team Gabe (left to right): Luke Nelson, Jenny Joyes, and Chantelle Robitaille
