I finished my first 50 mile ultramarathon this year.
Along the way my friends & family definitely questioned my sanity. Why would you do something like that for fun? Why not run a 5k? My response was simply why not? Why not is valid but there is a real answer.
Training & racing bring me peace. I’m chasing mental clarity: singular unwavering focus. When I’m running my brain narrows on each step and the stresses of everyday life melt away. With every step I get stronger, build stamina, and inch closer to my race day goals. I’m in charge. Few external factors can change how I feel. I’m not bending to the whims of anyone else or trying to impress somebody. There’s also some risk with ultrarunning to keep things extra spicy; poor nutrition, electrolyte imbalance, or bad footwork are all one-way tickets to the ER.
Mix that all together and it’s addicting. After my first half marathon I said I’d never run again. Then I ran a marathon. Lying on the pavement after the finish line I said I’d never do that again (for real this time). A year later I was back on the starting line. Not long after that I spent an entire day running 50 miles through the mountains—an experience I enjoyed more than all of my previous races combined.
On the surface it looks psychotic but under the surface it’s anything but. In reality the preparation takes years. I started running casually in 2017. I built up a foundation over a couple years and started running a lot during COVID. I ran my first race in 2021. I slowly progressed to the marathon distance then I ran 1000+ miles in 8 months to prepare for the ultra.
What’s approachable for you may be psychotic to me (vice versa). Running is my thing because I’m curious about it. I’m interested in training programs, I research new shoe tech, and I play around with nutrition tactics. For me pursuing something like a PhD or learning a language is actually crazy. Why spend 4+ gruelling years in school to do original research? Why spend years trudging through new verb tenses and idioms? You could spend that time outside!
Struggle is in the eye of the beholder and curiosity is the fuel through it.
People I’ve met along the way inspire me too; it’s not all about running far to push myself. I’ve been passed by people in their forties and fifties when I’m running my fastest (and, no, I’m not that slow). I’ve seen a man in his late sixties or seventies run his 100th marathon. At the finish line of the 50 miler I saw people painfully stumbling through with glowing smiles on their faces. Inspiration is around every corner.
Pick hard adventures that speak to you and enjoy the journey. The saying “people overestimate what they can do in a few months but underestimate what they can do in years” is wildly accurate. My experience is a testament to that. I’m a regular person pursuing a passion and I’ve been chipping away for a long, long time. Resilience with a healthy dash of stupidity…look how far I’ve come.
Chances are that your passion lies in something totally different though. Take your own path—a step at a time—and maybe you’ll pick up your own psychotic hobby along the way.
I recently started training for my first half ironman triathlon and I feel everything you're saying in this piece. I didn't know hot to swim, so I had a lot of ground (water) to make up. Part of the solution is two swimming sessions a week at 6 in the morning with a swimming squad. It's really quite hectic (maybe just psychotic) but I love it. The small increases in skill are so enjoyable. I was speaking to another swimmer at the club who said it's very character building and I completely agree.
That’s so cool!
I used to run a lot before I picked up skateboarding — never distances like you’re covering, and I always really enjoyed what it did for me mentally had well. Nice piece :)