Mind, Body, Passion: The Ultra Trifecta

Ultrarunners: We are a unique species.
Somewhere along the line during our conception, something epic happened. Maybe the stars were aligned just right when our parents were going at it or maybe a special type of vodka played a role in the mix…regardless we emerged from this unity star-charged with determination and drunk on masochism. It’s a beautiful thing.

There is a percentage of the society that embraces and sustains a level of mediocrity, we are routinely criticized, questioned, and are recipients of the disapproving head shake followed by statements like: “I don’t even drive that far..” or “you’re nuts”. That’s fine, to teach their own. Ultra isn’t for everyone and that’s awesome. On occasion I will be motivated to preach the good news of the ultra lifestyle and promote the sense of pride and family that resonates with our ultra community. Most of the time this sermon falls on deaf ears as many can’t get past the mileage that equates to ridiculous efforts and inconceivable outcomes. Sure, we’re a little nuts at times. Some more than others. I’ll freely admit I have caught myself getting too caught up in the joy of my adventures. I recall a long run in ridiculous heat with sub-adequate water. A friend pulled up next to me on the gravel road where I was running and gave me some water. Without a word, I pounded it and then threw it up. I found it comical and made a joke and prepped to take off again. He looked at me and called me an idiot without saying a word. Valid point, my friend. Sometimes we just do things..and it's stupid. A wise man once said: “Valid criticism does you a favor.” -Carl Sagan

It is notable to point out that the extreme reactions we as ultra runners receive do have remnants of validity. I completely understand the initial reaction of confusion. Most non-ultratarians focus on the numbers. 50-miles, 100-miles, and so on. I get it. I was the same way when I dove headfirst into this amazing world of badassness. Actually, I know for a fact that I muttered: “I will never run a 100-miler, that’s just stupid.” A week later I signed up for my first 100-miler, 3 months later I won it and set the course record. “Stupid”-I was an idiot for thinking so shallowly. Nevertheless, shortly after tasting the dirt trails, sampling the delicious buffets of aid station food seasoned with the sweat of fellow racers, and feeling that last surge of adrenaline that swelled up from a place I didn’t know existed when seeing the finish line after 8, 12, or 20+ hours of running…my perspective changed. It has nothing to do with the mileage; it’s the journey that engages every atom of your existence into one single task. It’s ultra and I love it.

I’m by no means even remotely master of my passion, but I am masterfully passionate about it. I will always be a rookie of the sport and I am encouraged by this. There is so much to research, so many hypotheses to test, and more advice than any one runner can absorb. In comparison, it’s like debating  Creation and Big Bang—thought provoking, enjoyable, and fulfilling discussions over a cold, craft beer. Bazinga. Your mind can literally ache by trying to entertain every bit of intel in capturing the prime ultra success recipe. The ingredient list is massive and variables are extensive…Nutrition, gear, training miles, vert miles, recovery miles, sleep, heart rate monitoring, zero drop vs 4 mm, IPA vs APA, solo-training, group training, cross training, speed training, time management, compression, etc. However, with a few races and a few buckles under/on your belt, the ultragods bless us with a little experience knowledge that feeds our curiosity and charges our inquisition to continue our journey deeper into the world of ultra. My opinions and statements on this and any other word vomit that I spew into my blog are always dusted with a disclaimer that substantiates that I have no expertise on the matter, other than my experiences, successes, and embraced failures. That being said, I am comfortable preaching the epiphany of surviving and thriving in ultra running..and maybe in life. My advice isn’t technical, medical, and nutritionally-focused (although I highly consider inquiries in all these subjects). I feel that success (don’t confuse “success” with winning races) is about regulation. Simply put in one statement: Ultra is about learning to abide by the laws of balance intellectually, physically, and passionately.

Let’s break it down. Spinderella cut it up one time..

First and foremost: Balance. Remember the teeter-totter back in the day? Remember the a-hole friend that would get off unexpectedly and you’d almost crack your tailbone? Ok, that has nothing to do with my thoughts on balance but I just had a flashback. ((Squirrel)). Balance is imperative with ultra in every aspect, on and off the trail. It’s easy to be obsessive with this sport/lifestyle as it effects every aspect of your life from food to family, but remember your priorities and don’t neglect your responsibilities. In regards to training and racing, balance has to be a planning component. Too much or not enough of any focus will lead to ill results.

Intellectual balance: Picture this..(almost went into a Sophia “Golden Girls” story..if you don’t get it, you are dead to me) training your ass off because your love what do, but then falling on your face because you lacked planning. Not a fun experience. I’ve passed many a sculpted athlete delirious on the trail, muttering nonsense and cursing their perfectly trained body. Not a pretty picture. Understand your schedule allowance, your physical limitations, medical issues, etc. Research is your friend, but don’t overstay your welcome or you will stress yourself out. Everyone has an opinion on training plans and some contradict each other. Accept that, be smart about who you are and what you are training for, and make a plan. Being ignorant on the necessary predetermined steps to reach your goals and summit your expectations will result in disappointment and possibly injury. Invest time in using your brain, help squash the dumb jock reputation, and be comfortable with your plan.

Physical balance: This is easy to screw up. RUN YOUR RACE; not Tim Olson’s, not Anna Frost’s, not your local state rival. Run your race. Naturally this translates to training your training plan. If we all had the same genetic make-up complimented by the same stunning goods looks, this sport would be a whole new ball game. Luckily, the stars aligned to give some athletes incredible down-hill running skills, some ridiculous speed on the flats, and then those lucky bastards that seem to have the full package…plus a phenomenal beard. That small percentage is dominating the sport. Rock on, my friends. Be realistic on what type of runner you are is going to translate to stronger intellectual awareness which you can then acknowledge and incorporate into enhancing your training plan. That was a mouthful (that’s what she said..) but you get it. Self-awareness is key in physical balance. Once you’ve attained this, you won’t do stupid shit as often as well…I’ll check back in when I have this mastered.

Balancing passion: Passion will always trump physical and intellectual variables in ultra. That’s what passion is..this omnipotent, resounding pounding in your chest that drives your pre-sunrise runs and fuels mid-race thoughts like “Mile 80, only 20 easy miles to go..I got this”. Passion wipes the blood out of your eyes at mile 23 of a challenging 50 miler after smacking your head against a rock, cracking a couple ribs from crashing after on a trail. Passion is what encourages the tears to well up in your eyes after watching YouTube finish line videos of members of our ultra family limping, crawling, and tapping into that last ounce of heart to cross that line. Kleenex please. It is what fuels us and is the essence of this astounding sport. My experience is that as much as I use this as fuel, it can be detrimental. Passion will also cloud your judgement in circumstances that can literally be dangerous. Medically, there may be time we should tap out in a race or cut mileage in training. Guilty as charged. Passion may also supersede good decision-making in balancing our lives: training needs vs. family needs. If you are questioning which takes precedence, you may need to do some re-evaluation. Guilty again. Passion can be an addiction, a glorious disease that leads the hierarchy of commanding voices in your life. It can be the “Zeus”; the judge, jury, and executioner; the Sun of your universe. All I ask, my friends, is that you acknowledge and caution this beautiful, incredible thing that drives you and incorporate balance into containing it. Don’t suppress it; just moderate and mold it to control the trifecta of ultra success.

Once you are able to do this, you have clear results in all aspects of your ultra adventures..and possibly see that success leak over into other components of your life. Make your short existence on this planet balanced and fulfilling. Open the many corridors of resources that are in front of you and acknowledge and embrace them without malice or discrimination. Don’t hover too much in one aspect, even if it’s sexy as hell and feels amazing. Enter purposefully the areas that challenge you, piss you off, hurt you, and use your intellect to comprise them. Plan your success, balance each variable, and don’t be a dumbass.

And once you figure that out, tell me how the hell you did it.

Ultra on, my friends.