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Week 53: Into the Eye of the Storm & Proving Ourselves Right

A few mornings from now, I will wake up and think, “Today is the day.”

Equal parts dread, equal parts longing anticipation; ready or not, here we go.

It will be time to go far beyond my previous limitations.

In a personal sense, frontiers are still everywhere.

And when we venture beyond those established safe points, we celebrate it. We feel good about our courage and sense of adventure. We learn, we grow, we level up for the next challenge.

Looking back, most of those moments of progress for me have been incremental, perhaps naturally.

That being said, the big leaps of faith were almost always rewarded. Emphasis on the almost.

Back to reality however, there’s been a crisp chill in the morning air over the last few days. Leaves are beginning to fall. Pumpkins are showing up on doorsteps.

Summer is gone.

And that means it’s almost time.

Time to go find out if it’s all been enough. Time to go find out if I’m as tough as I think I am. Time to find out if I’m strong enough to withstand the storm.

Time to go prove myself right.

I think that’s what drew me to ultrarunning in the first place. There are no shortcuts, and trying to find them will expose you. The only way out is through, one step at a time.

I learned so much throughout this training bloc.

I learned that big goals require big commitment. I learned that big goals also somehow make us more interesting even as said big goals consume all our extra time, effort, and resources (hilarious).

I learned that maybe I’m one of the mad ones after all. Mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time. If anything else, this has fully confirmed I don’t do things halfway. All in or nothing at all.

And I learned that, although too often confused, cost and value are two very different things.

A year ago, running this far seemed so distant (pun fully intended) it may as well have been nothing but vain dreams.

I’m glad it wasn’t just vanity. I’m glad I dared to make it happen with eyes wide open. My health is the best it’s been in decades. My heart is fuller. And my life is richer than ever before.

I became better because of something, not despite anything. I got inspired and then became disciplined enough to start manifesting those crazy dreams.

Not to mention, running 100 kilometers in the mountains is a solid step towards peak badass.

One video on YouTube changed a lot of my tomorrows.

Imagine what could change yours.

Thank you for reading.

Live triumphantly. See you next week.