A lot of ultramarathoners are soloists. They’re single and live lives off the grid.
The only one who can tell you “You can’t” is you. And you don’t have to listen.
I run to breathe the fresh air. I run to explore. I run to escape the ordinary.
The marathon is an opportunity for redemption. Opportunity, because the outcome is uncertain. Opportunity, because it is up to you, and only you, to make it happen.
Runners are competitive folks. I think some might feel slighted they haven’t got more recognition. I think they have a point. In running, you won’t necessarily get noticed just for turning in good performances.
I run with a credit card and a cell phone, so when there is not a 7-Eleven around, like some of the country roads out there, I can get him to deliver a pizza to me. And I kind of give them a coordinate, a corner.
Pain is the body’s way of ridding itself of weakness.
When I ran across America, for 75 days I ate 10,000 calories a day. I still lost about five pounds.
If you just go out there and run 100 miles, it breaks down a lot of barriers in terms of self-imposed limitations.
I love to run and I have some tips to keep it fresh and novel. I rarely use the same route twice. That keeps things new.
I love surfing, rock climbing, cycling – all that stuff. But it’s just amazing that I can inspire people with my running. It’s humbling, really.
I have an ElliptiGO. It’s a standup bicycle. You don’t pedal; you stride on it. It allows me to have the same striding motion as running without the impact.
Most people never get there. They’re afraid or unwilling to demand enough of themselves and take the easy road, the path of least resistance. But struggling and suffering, as I now saw it, were the essence of a life worth living. If you’re not pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone, if you’re not constantly demanding more from yourself – expanding and learning as you go – your choosing a numb existence. Your denying yourself an extraordinary trip.
Most dreams die a slow death. They’re conceived in a moment of passion, with the prospect of endless possibility, but often languish and are not pursued with the same heartfelt intensity as when first born. Slowly, subtly, a dream becomes elusive and ephemeral. People who’ve lost their own dreams become pessimists and cynics. They feel like the time and devotion spent on chasing their dreams were wasted. The emotional scars last forever.
I wasn’t born with any innate talent. I’ve never been naturally gifted at anything. I always had to work at it. The only way I knew how to succeed was to try harder than anyone else. Dogged persistence is what got me through life. But here was something I was half-decent at. Being able to run great distances was the one thing I could offer the world. Others might be faster, but I could go longer. My strongest quality is that I never give up.
Now you wouldn’t believe me if I told you, but I could run like the wind blows. From that day on, if I was ever going somewhere, I was running!” – FORREST GUMP.
If you want to run, run a mile. If you want to experience a different life, run a marathon. If you want to talk to God, run an ultra.
I didn’t go up there to die, I went up there to live.
You cannot grow and expand your capabilities to their limits without running the risk of failure. And failure can provide invaluable lessons.
I started running to escape the memories that drinking couldn’t cover up.
Some friendships can be measured in miles.