10/12/2026
This year has been an absolute blur. I keep saying its felt like a month and a decade at the same time. Getting married to my best friend, building a business, working long days, showing up for my family, chasing big goals, and trying to squeeze more out of myself in every direction. There have been plenty of days where there wasn't much left in the tank, but the work still needed to get done.
And somewhere in the middle of all of that, I went out and ran 50 miles this weekend. If I'm being completely honest the week before it was incredibly full, challenging, frustrating, with many late nights. With all that being said all week I kept thinking of reasons why I should skip the 50 miler, I had plenty.
People often ask why anyone would willingly put themselves through that kind of suffering. Why spend hours running, walking, hurting, questioning your decisions, and wondering why you signed up for this in the first place?
For me, it's about what happens in those hours. The key there is HOURS! Alot of sports can be challenging, but they often don't last long.
An ultra strips away the noise. There's no hiding behind a good day, a good mood, or a convenient excuse. Eventually, your body hurts, the skin wears off your feet, blisters form, muscles tighten, joints ache, your mind gets tired, and the easy answers disappear. You're left alone with yourself and the decisions you make when things get uncomfortable. I noticed a few blisters forming on my toes about 7 hours into the race, (25 miles) and I had to face the fact that I would have to deal with that for atleast another 7 hours with every single step, there is no easy way out. The work just needed done. For a long time.
Ultras reveal alot about yourself. As the hours go by, will you panic when things get hard? Do you get frustrated when reality doesn't match your expectations? Do you quit when the excitement wears off, or do you take a breath, adjust your plan, and keep moving forward?
But it's not just how much pain you can tolerate, but how you respond to adversity, how you manage your emotions, how you adapt when things don't go your way, and how to keep putting one foot in front of the other when the finish line feels impossibly far away.
And those lessons don't stay on the trail.
They show up when business gets stressful. When the days get long. When life throws you something you didn't plan for. When you're exhausted, frustrated, and still have responsibilities waiting for you.
An ultra doesn't magically make life easier. It teaches you that discomfort isn't always a signal to stop, that a bad moment doesn't have to become a bad day, and that you can keep moving forward without having everything figured out. Ultras are incredibly hard, but make everyday life easier.
Also: you learn alot from experience, but that doesn't make them easier đŸ˜‰
Huge shout out to Alex Berger for saving the day by letting me borrow his garmin charger after I fell asleep with my watch light on. Also seeing One Tough Pappy at one of my races was a huge bonus!
