A couple weeks ago I was in Portland for a conference and found myself having the same conversation over and over again with professional colleagues and friends.<\/p>\n
And that is how the conversation went, over and over again. It goes similarly when I am catching up with old friends or with family I haven’t seen in a while. Seriously – I’m not trying to be annoyingly self-deprecating and\/or fish for compliments. I really <\/em>don’t consider myself much of a runner.<\/p>\n Ok – get your eye rolls over with…..I’m waiting……ok. Now, let me explain.<\/em><\/p>\n I started “running” about 3 years ago, working my way up to a 5k<\/a> and a 5 mile<\/a> race back in Kearney, Nebraska in 2012. It was all pavement and it hurt. After a lifetime of hating running, however, it was exciting to actually do a race. Fast-forward to Summer 2013 when I moved to Utah and discovered there was this thing called “trail-running.” Having grown up hiking a lot, this was a revelation to me and I quickly dove in. However, I’m lazy and not very smart. Much of that first year of “running” was me getting over-use injuries from not knowing what I was doing. I kept at it though because I loved exploring trails, ridges, canyons, mountains, and beautiful places. Slowly, I also got hooked on the sense of accomplishment and physical exhilaration of doing hard things.<\/p>\n Along the way, however, I found myself in an uncomfortable place (and still do, to some extent). The trail-running friends and community I was interacting with seemed to be largely made up of people who ran ultra-marathons. 50k, 50 mile, 100k, 100 mile, and even 200 mile trail races! I was trying to be a “trail-runner” but unable to engage in the “So, what race is up next for you” conversation that usually accompanied interacting with them. It was awkward and I felt a bit sheepish. I freely admit that. I loved what I was doing, but wished I could do more. I really admired these people. What they did was amazing.<\/p>\n Slowly, as my strength grew, I felt like I actually could<\/em> and wanted <\/em>to try out a race myself. Not because I felt inadequate compared to my friends or out of any sense of competition. I\u00a0 just felt the desire to do it for myself. I did an ultra distance in December 2014 as a solo adventure run<\/a> and then signed up for the Bryce 50k<\/a> on June 6, 2015. It was an amazing experience. However, it didn’t fundamentally change how I felt about myself as a “runner.”<\/p>\n I was still slow, still under-trained, still a total noob amateur. And, I still am.<\/p>\n Increasingly, I am coming to the realization that I’m ok with that. I’m ok being a slowpoke, as long as I can keep on getting out there and seeing beautiful things. I love exploring. I love to be outside. I love the satisfaction and thrill of doing hard things. Official ultramarathon races are an exciting way to fulfill all of those motives for running.<\/p>\n