On August 23rd, Solveig Kusmik made her way through the looping trails of Standley Lake in Westminster, Colorado, taking on the Night Trail series as a part of Project Purple’s Pioneer Program.
With the sun setting and the night settling in, she faced the challenge of a 50-kilometer race, over 30 miles, surpassing the 26.2 of a full marathon – a feat that would test her endurance and resilience.
While every step honored her late mother, Ann Nelson, who passed away from pancreatic cancer in October 2023, it also became a tribute to the broader fight against the disease, raising awareness and support for families navigating similar journeys.
A Life Surrounded by Running
Running has always been a part of Solveig’s world, though she didn’t immediately recognize it as her own path. Growing up in Colorado, she was surrounded by family members who loved the sport. Her sister ran throughout college, and her mother, Ann, would often lace up and jog around the neighborhood lakes.
Solveig’s connection to running during her adolescence was mostly practical. She ran to train for other sports and participated in track through high school and some of college, but it was never something she pursued for its own sake. Running was present in her life, yet it remained in the background, a quiet part of the family rhythm rather than her personal passion.
One of her clearest memories of that rhythm was when they took on a half-marathon together as a family. Looking back, she remembers her mom taking charge on the course: “She definitely led the pack in doing that,” Solveig recalled. Ann never sought out big races or called herself competitive, but running was a quiet joy in her life, one that would later take on greater meaning for her daughter, Solveig.
Solveig’s husband, an avid ultra-runner, became the spark that encouraged her to lace up more seriously. Slowly, she began to run more consistently, and, at the start of 2025, took on the sport with fresh dedication. What began as a gradual step into his world unexpectedly grew into her own space for reflection and strength, especially as she faced the grief of losing her mom.
Honoring Mom: Ann’s Life and Cancer Journey
Ann Nelson was more than just a mother; she was a force of energy, love, and care for everyone around her. As a preschool teacher, she had a way of making everyone feel special. “She had that energy of being that mom—the mom you always wanted,” Solveig reflects. “Everyone felt like she was their second mom. She always made all of our friends and family feel so special and unique. She was so good at having deep relationships with everyone she touched.”
Her pancreatic cancer journey began unexpectedly. Initially diagnosed with pancreatitis, Ann experienced immense pain after eating, fatigue, and unexplained weight loss. Despite her active lifestyle and careful attention to health, the underlying cause of the flare-up remained unclear, and getting proper tests proved difficult after symptoms did not fade. Appointments were hard to secure, and doctors initially reassured the family that it would resolve on its own.
It wasn’t until months later, after persistent advocacy and repeated attempts to get answers, that Ann was finally admitted for further testing, and the diagnosis came: Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
Reflecting on that period in September of 2022, Solveig states, “The waiting game of her not getting in, not getting the scans that she needed, was so hard.” She adds, “It’s not that doctors weren’t listening, but understanding the severity and putting two and two together… the amount of time that it took was extremely frustrating.”
Nevertheless, Ann began chemotherapy shortly after her diagnosis. While it helped somewhat, the treatments took a heavy toll, and she eventually had to stop. She then pursued two clinical trials and other treatments, and as Solveig says, “her health went up and down,” highlighting the unpredictable nature of her mother’s journey.
Throughout the year between her mom’s diagnosis and passing in October 2023, Solveig describes the experience as a “rollercoaster” for the family. Amid the year’s highs, like the birth of Ann’s two new grandchildren and Solveig’s engagement, and its lows, she recalls the mix of joy and heartbreak: “A lot of big, exciting things were happening to me and to my family, as well as this terrible thing that was going on at the same time.”
During this period, Solveig learned to cherish the everyday moments with her mother, finding the ordinary days to be the ones she treasured most. She recalls one day when her mom had enough energy to go to a grocery store and the mall, get lunch, and eat outside. “It was such a special day for me that I had just with her. During that time, you take those moments of normalcy for granted until something like this happens,” Solveig adds.
One of Solveig’s favorite things about her mom was her boundless love. “We always felt, and so many people felt, that my mom was their best friend,” she reflects. “It’s crazy how much love she put out into the world and to every single person that she impacted—I think it’s definitely my favorite part of her.”
That same love and strength became a source of inspiration after her mother’s passing. Running evolved into an outlet for her grief: a way to reflect, honor her mother, and channel the emotions of loss into something tangible. This growing connection between her mom’s spirit and her own dedication to running ultimately led Solveig to seek out a meaningful race and a way to support Project Purple, setting the stage for her next challenge.
Finding The Race: Solveig’s Journey with Project Purple
After her mother’s passing, running was not immediately an outlet for Solveig. Over time, however, it evolved into a space to process grief and feel close to Ann. “Since the start of 2025, it definitely became an outlet—a time to think, talk to my mom, and work through grief. Sometimes I’d get flashbacks while running, but it gave me space away from everything else to reflect on memories with my mom. It wasn’t immediate, but now it’s something that’s carrying me throughout my grief journey.”
This growing connection eventually led her to seek out a meaningful challenge: a race that could push her physically, all while honoring her mother’s memory. “As hard as my mom fought against pancreatic cancer, I could do something way out of my comfort zone,” she reflects.
A long-distance race had always been on her mind, especially as she approached her 30th birthday. When her husband discovered a race near their home at Standley Lake, it clicked as the right challenge: a creative, nighttime course that would push her physically while honoring her mother. “I kept thinking about how amazing it would be to do this race at night—the 50K is so unique,” Solveig reflects. “I was thinking a lot about my mom and how I could use this race to raise awareness and money.”
In order to turn this desire into a reality, Solveig discovered Project Purple’s Pioneer Program, which allows runners to choose their own race from anywhere and create a personal fundraising effort in honor of a loved one. “It allowed me to lead my own thing at my own pace and run in memory of my mom,” she shares. “I could pick my own race and do my own thing, so it was great.”
She explains what made this race different: “I was able to make the page and everything about my mom’s story and my family’s story. I got to pick that specific race that I thought my mom would also enjoy, being under the stars, which made it special. It was my way to tell her story and honor her in a way I knew she would have loved.” And she found that this race did exactly that.
Crossing the Finish Line Together in Spirit
On race day, Solveig felt the culmination of months of preparation, reflection, and emotion. The race started at 6:30 pm, just as the sun was setting over Standley Lake, casting the looping trails in dusky light. She ran largely on her own, with only a small group of 25 to 30 participants on the course, making the experience feel intimate and personal while giving her space to reflect and honor her mother.
“As I was running, I just felt like she was right beside me the whole time,” Solveig recalls. “I kept telling her, ‘You’re my wings, and we’re gonna get there and cross the finish line together.’ It was very special, and I definitely feel more of a connection with her from running.”
The intimacy of the race allowed her to focus deeply on the meaning behind each mile—all 31 of them—and to reflect on the support she had received leading up to the event. And, when race day arrived, seeing her close friends and family decked out in purple with pompoms and tutus added an extra layer of encouragement. The course’s looping design meant that she passed the start and finish line multiple times, and each time, hearing friends cheer as she came up the hill kept her going.
“Fifty kilometers was so hard and so far, but every time I was getting close to that start and finish again, I could hear them as I was coming up the hill because they knew I was getting close,” Solveig recalls. “Just having that support there kept pushing me.”
Crossing that finish line after over six hours, Solveig felt an overwhelming mix of relief, pride, and connection. “It just felt so different—what I was doing was so much bigger than just me,” she reflects. “I didn’t run this race just to run it. I wanted to finish and push myself, of course, but I chose to do this to run in memory of my mom, for her name, and to raise money so that other families might feel supported.” Representing Project Purple made every mile more meaningful for her and her family, she feels, than if she had just run the race for herself.
Though Solveig ran the 50km in honor of her mother, she wants people to know that it was also more than just honoring Ann—it was for the broader collective. “I wanted to raise money in hopes that a family doesn’t have to go through what my family did,” she reflects. “Running the race reminded me that this is so much bigger than myself, and it’s so much bigger than just my mom, too.”
For her, running the race also connected back to lessons her mother instilled in her and her siblings: always pushing themselves to do their best, being people of good character, and being each other’s biggest supporters. That drive carried her through every challenging mile and gave her the strength to cross the finish line—not just as a personal achievement, but as a way to honor her mom, uphold those values, and make a difference for others facing pancreatic cancer.
If you’d like to run or participate in an event of your own for Project Purple, visit our events page.
