A mindset for taking on challenges
Martha Schoppe didn’t set out to be a smokejumper. She focused on the sciences in college and worked afterwards in a wilderness therapy program in the western US. She was surrounded by people who loved outdoor adventure: mountain bikers, rock climbers, and hikers. She adopted the outdoor lifestyle and the seasonal work that comes with it.
In the process, she took a job with the Forest Service working on wilderness trails. Over the winter, avalanches and rock-slides would block the wilderness trails. She and her team were responsible for clearing the boulders and cutting the trees that blocked the trails. The wilderness areas don’t allow for any power tools. All the wood cutting is done with hand saws. In the course of her trail work, she got her qualifications to work on fire lines to fight wildfires. But it took five years before she had a chance to put her firefighter skills to the test.
After a few years on the fire crew she was chosen for a hotshot crew. This 21 member crew traveled around the country to where help was needed to contain wildfires. After a few years more, she got her certification to be a smokejumper.
She never liked running when she was younger, but it was part of her firefighter training. She picked up a copy of the book Born to Run and was intrigued by the “run smooth, run light, run easy” philosophy of the Tarahumara people. She decided she wanted to figure out how to run better. She followed the gradual progression of shorter to ever longer distances. While working in Ouray, CO, she saw the Hardrock 100 runners. She was intrigued and started thinking about what was possible.
Summer races are out of the question for Martha because fighting wildfires keeps her fully occupied. She also needs several weeks for her lungs to fully recover from all the dust and smoke she deals with in her work. So she looks at the winter races as her racing season. One of her challenges was a 100 mile race in Alaska. In addition to the cold and dark, she had to pull her gear on a sled.
She found that the mindset for running ultramarathons set her up very well for success as a smokejumper. The ability to be flexible and adapt to changes in weather conditions, terrain, and to keep moving through the night is key to both. And, after parachuting in to deal with a fire, she often has to hike out with all 135 pounds of gear and tools.
Martha doesn’t foresee any change in her love for working and playing in the wilderness. She’s going to keep doing what she loves.
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