Wed. run and other matters

Last night was a great run with the group and also a great time post-run at Free State. I'm starting to look forward to Wednesday runs, regardless of the mileage (it's usually not bad anyway, but I'm just sayin'). I honestly couldn't ask for a better group of people to run with. Everyone is awesomely supportive and friendly. This kind of attitude, IMO, is necessary in a sport like endurance running because so much of it is mental that we all need a boost every now and again. And I couldn't ask for a boost from a better group of people.

Gary had sent me a link to insanely awesome photos from Hard Rock 100. With the physical aspect of the race aside, that race is AMAZING. Let me repeat: AMAZING! If you've never seen photos from the race, check them out and if you're at all an outdoors person, you'll immediately fall in love. Guaranteed.

Bringing the physical aspect back into perspective, this is a race I'd eventually like to run. I'm always up for these types of challenges. I've never been the type of person to take the "easy road/way out" (not that other 100M races are an "easy way out," but let's be honest, some are "easier" than others. Running a 100-miler will definitely test your soul; let's not kid ourselves. But there are some 100-milers that will test your soul to the absolute core and then come back for more just to really see who you are. It's these types of races that I'm somehow drawn to. I'm no doubt starting with what's manageable for me, but we should all have long-term goals, and these are mine. To me, running 100 miles is never about "Let me see if I can do this." No. I know it's possible and that I can do it (maybe not tomorrow, but, physically and mentally for me, it's possible at some later point). For me it's more about, "How far can I mentally and physically push myself before I find out who I truly am?" So I wouldn't walk away from a 100-miler saying, "Nice! I finished 100 Miles!!" Sure, it'd be amazingly awesome, no doubt, but it's more to me than simply the accomplishment of the finish. There's no mile limit to testing oneself.

Maybe it's how I'm wired, I don't know; but I'm never complacent in my achievements. There's always more I can be doing, or something better than could have been done. There's always another limit than can be pushed and overcome. This is my journey. This is who I am.