How to Scare the absolute shit out of yourself. An easy guide to your next big win.

Running - a break from the mundane

Welcome back, this weeks topic came to me after watching a documentary about a 65 year old man’s journey of tackling a “miler” . A miler is 100 mile distance. It seems to be the biggest and most  “reasonable” step in this everlasting journey of self discovery through doing really hard shit. We will dive into the power of scaring yourself, the idea of the race itself being the reward and why running can be such a powerful tool in becoming the best version of ourselves.

The Seed

While a 100 mile distance seems unbelievable to some, I think if you slowly make your way up to whatever you personally define as crazy it’s all possible. These goals we speak about don’t have to involve the act of running at all, it could be a personal goal, a financial goal or whatever benchmark you want to achieve in your life. The seed I speak about is the initial inspiration that planted the idea and makes it seem possible. For myself while running and shortly after running the 60 km distance at Mt. Batur earlier this year there was no spark to want to run further. Then as we ease back into our regular runs and life goes back to more routine I find myself bored and wanting a challenge. The algorithm fed me a video of a guy my dad’s age tackling the 100 mile distance on the same course that has been on my mind for a while. It’s a race in the mountains of Australia and one that takes you to the highest point on the mainland. Kosciuszko is a race designed for first timers doing the 100 km distance.

Fear Factor

While watching this video I thought to myself if this guy can do it surely I can put in the work to see a shorter distance through. I was scared. Really Scared. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Already visualizing the struggles, the days of training, the amount of strength training I would have to do and the sacrifices my wife would have to make in helping me achieve a goal that brings no visible benefits to her. I could see myself crossing the line, hugging my wife, my son saying “daddy did it!” Those three words are worth all the leg cramps and what the fuck moments to get there. If you haven’t read the write up on Misogi please go back in the blogs and take time to go over that.

My idea is that if whatever your goal is doesn’t scare you and have some degree of impossibility then the reward likely wont be as sweet.

Power of Community

While rhttps://youtube.com/watch?v=2CFSRsCcYSw&si=uQUAktV5CAxQiGDCunning the 60km I kept wanting to be able to say to the haters “ I did it! “ In reality I didn’t have any haters. Everyone around me saw the work I was putting in and while those around you might not understand the why they all wanted me to see it through. That’s the power of our run club. The collective energy of showing up each week, getting up early and having people around you with goals. The impact we can have on our close circles by doing hard things is incredible. While these achievements fill us up I think the ripple effect shouldn’t be undermined. I love seeing people do their first event ( or even 5 km ) then signing up for another and convincing their friends to then push themselves. Doing things that are hard with your friends is amazing because it’s a bond you will share for life. You both know how it felt, can relate on so many levels and always have the connection of that shared experience. While your family might be proud, it’s the people that have done something similar that know how it feels to make shit happen.

The Feeling

I never paid much attention to the sport of running up until this year. While I find it incredible to watch the elite’s performances I don’t find many aspects that I can see in myself. It’s the people coming in with minutes to spare before the cut off, the ones who dug so deep and spent over double the amount of time to complete the same distance. Battling exhaustion, self doubt and all the aches and pains that come along with moving your body for over a full working day.  I think these people are the real hero’s and give us the opportunity to see these challenges as obtainable. Sure it takes grit, training and a lot of determination , however win or lose it makes the daily challenges in life seem so much less consequential and easier to manage when we have chosen to do much more difficult things. Running builds resilience and the ability to really believe in ourselves. The human spirit is incredible.

Sign up

Find the thing that scares the absolute shit out of you. Sit with it. Sign up, maybe get a coach, hang out with people who have been there. Ask questions and don’t let the list of things you need overpower just getting started. Show up to your local run club. Whether it’s a social run like we host or a speed run with Continuum or sprints with Rise & Run, show up and be part of it. Leave your headphones at home and talk to the people who make these communities what they are. They will believe in you and help you achieve whatever crazy idea you have in your mind. However, nobody can do the work for you. Break whatever goal you have into digestible chunks and get after it.

The Reward

Once you have put in the early mornings, skipped going out so you were fresh for your long run and did all the squats you are ready. Let the race be the reward for all the effort you put in. I promise the feelings and self doubt are active in each and every one of us at some point of the journey and proving those wrong by doing is the best feeling ever. I cant wait to see all of you win. If you need a sign HERE IT IS.

Hope to see you soon for a coffee and run around Seseh.

Leave a comment or share this with someone who needs to read it. 

Here is the video that sparked it for me. Enjoy

https://youtube.com/watch?v=2CFSRsCcYSw&si=uQUAktV5CAxQiGDC