“You’re crazy!”– If I had a dollar for every time I heard this phrase, I’d be rich. As an ultra runner, these two words have the ability to hit me in many different ways, depending on the source and the perceived intentions behind them.
Usually, I just roll my eyes or laugh it off because the person saying it probably doesn’t understand why I run like I do. There have been times I’ve heard this and I’ve gotten a little miffed. Why is my running considered crazy? Is it because 10 miles is an “easy” run? Or is it because I do back to back long runs on the weekends? Well, that’s how you train for an ultra marathon. More often than not, I actually take it as a compliment. Calling me crazy just means that I am probably doing something they can’t fathom and I should be proud of that. Endurance running is an animal all its own. Trails and ultra running takes a lot of physical and mental toughness; and truthfully, unless you have done it, it is very hard to understand.
Let’s be honest. training for an ultra marathon (typically a distance of 50k and above) is no small feat. It takes months of consistency and dedication. You continue to push past exhaustion for many miles, and many hours on your feet. It’s not for everyone, but those that train for these long distances are probably feeling the same way I do.
What if it’s these long distances and the exhaustion afterwards that I find satisfying? I love having a challenge to take on and I have this insatiable hunger for adventure. Ultra running allows me to combine those two. Maybe running trails and exploring mountains for hours on end is crazy, but how else would I satiate my appetite? I feed that crazy part of me because I find satisfaction is the hard work, sweat, and dirt that comes with it. There is a concept called “Feed Your Crazy”. Created by Bard and Ricki Parnell, the basic idea is that we as athletes challenge ourselves to train hard to find that satisfaction through physically exhausting ourselves. As quoted from their website “If it’s crazy to train hard, if it’s crazy to push limits, then maybe the world needs a bit more crazy.”
It doesn’t have to ultra running. Maybe its 10k’s or half marathons. Everyone takes on different challenges. But, if you love to test your limits and get fulfillment from accomplishing a tough training run or race, then maybe you are also feeding your crazy. Just wait, if you haven’t heard it already, you will someday.
Happy Trails!
