The Long Run: Race Day Thoughts and Thanks

It is the morning of the Silver Moon 24 Hour Race and I am nervously excited. The race starts at 6pm tonight, so that gives me plenty of time to think as I sip my coffee.

People often ask me why I like to do long distance events? Or, why do I push my body to extremes?

The short answer is, because we only have one life to live.

The long answer has many components. Please allow me to indulge in my own self gibberish this morning as I explain a few things.

I love running, triathlons, and powerlifting because your own individual effort is what will yield results. It is just me against me. With team sports, it is easy to blame others for a loss. When it is just you, you have to look in the mirror and be happy with your efforts regardless of the outcome. Only you know if you truly gave your best for the day.

Another reason I enjoy participating in events is because of the brother and sisterhood. At 6pm tonight, I may not know every runner that is there, but I know that we are bonded from toeing the line. Each and every runner is there for their own reasons. They are all on a journey of self discovery and evolution. Can you imagine all the hopes and dreams that are gathered at the starting line?

Speaking of self discovery, that is another big component why I love ultrarunning. I am attempting to run 100 miles in 24 hours. Yes, it will hurt. Yes, my body will be screaming to quit. The pain will come. The suffering is inevitable. What does one do when everything is telling you to stop? That is when you dig deep and find out what you are made of. You will find out what level of mental toughness you posses deep inside. To feel the hurt and having the mental strength through push through speaks volumes.

In our culture today, we can be lazy. We don't need to go hunt for our food or pick berries all day. We can go to the grocery store. We can Instacart too. We live in a society of convenience. Because of it, it is important to push ourselves. It is important to set goals and chase them. It is imperative to our ancestorial DNA that would challenge ourselves. If we don't challenge ourselves, regardless if is a physical, emotional, financial, familial, etc., then how would we grow?

I have a beautiful daughter. I want her to grow up seeing her daddy exercise, work, and play. She will be at the starting and finish line this weekend. I want her to experience the energy and vibes from all the runners. I want her to understand that movement is part of life and why it is important for us to move. Now more than ever, kids are not exercising. Childhood obesity is insanely high. It is up to us, as parents, to set a good example when it comes to health and fitness.

I know, I know, I have been rambling way too long. So I will wrap it up with this:

I want to look back at my life and be proud of what I have done. This is my one life, so I want to look back and smile with all the positive moments that have been left on my soul.

Thank you so much for the support and encouragement that you all have given me. It means more to me than you could ever know.

With sincerest gratitude,
Vice