Why?
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Why?
I won't go into my history again. I've gone through it at length. If you'd like to know what got me to the point of punishing my body and mind for nearly 30 hours at a time, click here to read all about it. It's been a few years since I wrote that piece so the number of miles and races has changed pretty significantly, but the concept remains the same.
Why do I do these events? Why do I love to go to the darkest parts of my brain and pay money for it? Why do I continue to run in events with no prize money, no notoriety, very little possibility of ever winning an event? The answer is pretty simple...I love to show people that no matter what your history or background, we are capable of some pretty badass things.
I'm not going to sit here and say that I am a badass. I'm not going to say it because it's not true. I'll be the first to admit that I am in fact not a badass...I'm kind of a candy ass :)
I don't do these races to show people me, I do these events to show people themselves.
Running, at it's core, is a way for us to connect with the earth and to our bodies. The endorphin release is intense. It's a way for us to release the stress of our lives out into the open. It's a chance for us to get out of our cubicle society and get outside to breathe. It gives us a chance to connect with others. It gives us a chance to connect with our bodies in a way that most people will never comprehend. Want to know what I mean? Come spend an hour with me in the middle of the night. I have some very profound revelations :)
Running ultras for the past 8 years has given me a better understanding of what I was designed to do. I wasn't put on this earth to be a champion of Western States...although that would be awesome :) ......I was put here by my creator to show the world that we need to get uncomfortable. We as a culture need to step away from our computers, phones, tablets, desk, etc and push ourselves to do incredible things.
Having a goal of running 100 miles doesn't have to be your thing. In fact, I think running 100 miles is pretty dumb in most instances. You may have a goal of running a 5k. You may have a goal of riding a section of RAGBRAI. You may have a goal hiking the Grand Canyon. You may have a goal of joining a gym to lose some weight. Whatever it is, be OK with being uncomfortable.
I don't run long distance events because I'm great at them. I'm really not even all that good. I run these races because I believe the human body is amazing. I believe the brain can make you push farther than your body wants you to. I believe that the exploration of the soul in events like this is the one place where we can be closest to God in our modern day society. The physical and mental exhaustion is one that I believe everyone should experience in their lives to know that we are an amazing species.
So we come back to the question of why do I run these events? It's pretty simple. To show you that you are capable of the impossible
Task for today...set that goal. Find your impossible. Make a plan and execute. You'll be glad you did.
Stay Strong, Run Long,
Tha Messenjah
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