Shower thought via Reddit.
I was NOT the Last of the Felascans
Last Saturday (November 18th) I ran the Last of the Felascans, a backyard ultra. Participants run a 4.167-mile loop every hour and are eliminated if they fail to complete the loop within the hour.
39 runners started. One remained.
That was not me. I made it to 24 hours (100 miles) before relenting to the better competitor who became the last man standing at 25 hours.
Big congratulations to the winner, all of the runners who toed the line, my wife who came with an Egg McMuffin on queue at 6 am and supported me before, during, and after this race, my father-in-law who crewed me through the night, and the race directors and volunteers who made this event possible.
And thank you to all 204 subscribers who show up here every Wednesday. It’s an honor to write for you all.
Why, just why?
The most common question I get from friends and strangers alike is “Why do you run?” Running (and particularly ultrarunning) is a misunderstood sport. I’ve come to like that question. Most people who ask are truly curious and I get the opportunity to share stories and insights from experiences few people will ever have.
I’ve run on and off since chasing my older brother into my first triathlon at age 14. Then I discovered ultrarunning with my best friend & swolemate during the peak of the pandemic. I was captivated by the allure of going past marathon distances (which we had completed several years prior) into the unknown. And I quickly realized I preferred trails over roads; being immersed in nature and solitude.
Now running has stuck. It’s a cornerstone of my life and teaches me about life. And that’s why I set a goal to run 100 miles this year. I wanted to know if I could do it and I wanted the knowledge you only get from following through.
Finding strength
While preparing to become a father, I developed 3 core tenets for a value system I’d parent on. You won’t find this in most parenting books. I believe it’s our job as fathers (& mothers) to lay a foundation of values for your household.
Mine were:
Cardio - The ability to keep up, continue, and go the distance. Both mental and physical endurance. Let’s face it, raising kids is a physical job. They are fast and full of energy.
A Good Attitude - Controlling your thoughts and emotions. Consciously deciding to think positively and act with kindness. Kids require love, forgiveness, and emotional stability. I want to be able to roll with the punches and stay grateful.
Strength - The power you need to fight through adversity and stay balanced during hard times.
#3 (Strength) was an afterthought. I naively thought “Heck, I can do anything with good ole’ cardio and a good attitude.” I added strength at the advice of our family friend, a current Navy Seal, and his wife. He’s jacked so I obviously thought it was time for me to hit the gym. I owe them a lot for that conversation as I’ve come to learn the real importance of strength in parenting and life.
There’s a dark side to parenting. Society doesn’t speak about it. We talk about the good times and the memories. We complain about the trivial - the diapers, tantrums, and teenagers. But as parents, we’re faced with the impossible challenge of raising children in a hard and imperfect world. Things will go wrong. Injury and illness will occur. We’ll face setbacks and situations out of our control.
Strength is for these hard times. For Jordan and I, we faced it head-on the minute Miles was born and not breathing, ultimately being placed on ECMO life support, having major heart surgery, and spending 3 weeks in intensive care. And that’s just our story. Ask any parent and I assure you they’ll have their own stories of setbacks and hardships. It comes with the territory.
Okay back to running…
Strength. Completing 100 miles is all about strength. You don’t need outstanding cardio. And I can assure you, your good attitude will fade. I had to go to a dark place, literally and metaphorically, to complete this race. It took strength to confront my mental demons and continue to run through the night.
I made it to the morning, pushed WAAAAY past what I thought was possible, and am stronger for it.
Because I can
“So, Why do you run?”
Because I can. And I like it.
The feeling after this race was strange. There was no “enlightenment”. No complete change in perspective I thought may be waiting for me around the corner.
I do feel good about my results. And I have bigger goals in this sport to tackle.
But it’s not about the goal. It’s not about the achievement.
I’ll continue to run and push myself at these distances because I can. I’ll collect new experiences along the way.
And does there have to be any other reason?
Still On The Toilet?
THANK YOU for making it to the end! Next week we’ll get back to our regular newsletter
You have been so strong-willed since you were born and have achieved beyond our parental immaginations . We have always been proud of the person you are inside and your accomplishments. Cardio, attitude and strength all need continual focus to be good which you know and prove. I will ALWAYS pray for you to keep God at the center of all of these as you continue in your journey with parenting and running. God Bless you , Jordan and Miles.................xo
Congrats on making your goal of 100 miles. Love the way you frame parenthood and wishing you all the best with Miles! So much to be grateful for. Happy Thanksgiving, Jonathan.