LITTLETON, Colo. — From one race to another, Jamie Rutkoski Donaldson runs on.

The Freeport graduate, now 34 and a sixth-grade teacher in Colorado, was a one-person cross country team for the Yellowjackets during her high school years.

Now she's a one-of-a-kind ultramarathon runner, having won the women's portion of the 135-mile Badwater UIltramarathon for a second consecutive year last month.

"The race was three weeks ago and my legs are still sore," Donaldson said. "I'm running in another ultra two weeks from now that I'm trying to get ready for.

"I usually run one ultra per month. I don't recommend that — I just do it."

Runners must apply for spots in the Badwater 135, one of the world's most punishing foot races that crosses two mountain ranges in Death Valley and involves 13,000 feet of climbing and 4,700 feet of descent.

Donaldson was one of 90 runners chosen this year from about 6,000 applicants. It marked her third straight year of running the race.

"2007 was a disaster year for me there," she admitted. "My body didn't like the heat and I took 41 hours to complete the course.

"I was heading up a mountain, running so slow, and a guy in a van driving by told me to get in, that I was done. But when you train for a year for something, you don't quit with 13 miles to go.

"No one on the outside is going to influence my race. It took me a while to finish, but I finished," she added.

After that race, Donaldson's feet were so swollen that she had to buy a pair of women's size 11 slippers. She normally wears a size 8.

The following year, she finished the Badwater quicker than any woman ever has.

Donaldson completed the course in 26 hours, 51 minutes and 33 seconds in 2008, breaking the previous women's record, held by Pam Reed of Tucson, Ariz., by more than an hour.

"I trained well and the temperature was a little cooler (110 degrees) by 10 degrees or so," she said. "That doesn't sound like much, but you feel the difference."

Reed, who finished second to Donaldson this year, was Badwater's overall champion in 2002 and 2003. That was before the race gained worldwide participation.

This year's race featured runners from 17 countries.

Donaldson's time was 27:20.18. She finished fifth overall among 86 starters, 75 of whom finished the race. Jeff Gleason, 51, of Cranberry Township finished 30th overall in 36:20.10.

"It would be an awesome achievement to finish first overall," Donaldson said. "It's not very likely to happen today. The best distance runners in the world run Badwater.

"The combination of distance, hills and heat — there's nothing like it."

Besides ultrarunning, Donaldson is a member of the U.S. women's 24-hour running team. She led that squad to a silver medal at the 24-Hour World Championships held in Italy in May.

Twenty-four-hour running is exactly that: running non-stop for 24 hours with the winner being the person accumulating the most miles.

"I finished first among Americans with 137 miles," Donaldson said. "It isn't my favorite type of race, but I love being able to represent my country, so I do one or two a year.

"Running remains a huge part of my life. Ultrarunning is like a family reunion. The people are so nice and it's a wonderful support system. I get to travel to a lot of amazing places and challenge myself to see what I can do."

Her running adventures even help her students in the classroom.

"I keep them involved because they know I'm gone at times on runs," Donaldson said. "I have them try to figure out how many miles I'll run at a 24-hour event or I'll show them pictures when I get back from another city or country.

"Geography is easier to teach when they're your pictures and you've been there. It certainly gets their attention."

Most of all, Donaldson likes teaching her students one of life's lessons through her running.

"That you really can accomplish a goal by working hard. Hard work pays off in life," she said. "I drive that point home to my students all the time."