5 Lessons from running a 50K race for anyone thinking they want to try ultrarunning

The Setting 

This past weekend I lined up to run my first formal race.

Even though I’ve been running for 10 years I’ve never felt the desire to enter a competition. For me, the test has always been pushing time and distance on the trails in a way that speaks to my spirit. That’s why I came up with my own crazy goal of running a fasted trail marathon without taking any water or food along the way (read about that adventure HERE)

After throwing myself into the arena and completing the race I’ve reflected on the experience and have 5 important lessons to share with you that will inspire you to jump into a competition yourself (maybe even an ultramarathon!). 

The Race 

But first a little about the race itself, The Full Mo Ultramarathon held in Indianapolis, Indiana.

It’s a rail trail that runs from the corn field north of the city right into the heart of downtown Indy. It’s all on paved trails, it’s straight, and downhill overall making for a good introduction to ultrarunning. The day started out warm and only got hotter testing us as we came closer to the finish line. 

It was the perfect first race and one that leant itself to refelction and understanding, leading to these 5 important lessons.

Lesson #1: Ultramarathoning is a different type of running

Running longer than 26.2 miles forces different demands on your body, mind, and spirit than the type of running I usually do.

It’s a game of patience, planning, strategy, and perseverance. You can’t accomplish the goal by bringing more intensity to overcompensate for a lack of preparation. Ultrarunning is as much a tactical game as a physical challenge.

This means that the type of ‘feel’ running I love to do doesn’t translate well into this field but it’s more open to everyone leading into the next lesson.

Lesson #2: ANYBODY can do this

There was a wide range of ages, body shapes, and reasons for taking on a 50k challenge; there was no barrier to entry other than the guts to take on the challenge.

Because Ultrarunning is about planning and preparation and NOT intensity it’s accessible to everyone willing to try. In ultrarunning you take walking breaks, talk with the competitors along the way for encouragement, and have food and water available to you along the way (and on your back or waist). Grandparents and people you might consider ‘overweight’ finished this race with smiles on their face as they crossed the finish line.

Your body can move for that long, it’s just a matter of your mindset and willingness to suffer in order to finish what you promised yourself you would.

Lesson #3: Positivity Wins the Day 

Ultramarathoning takes you into deep waters mentally.

It’s tiring on the body but the mental toll of moving for hours and hours in a row can overwhelm you. If you smile and make peace with the pain you can endure for longer than you ever imagined. Signs along the way reminded us of this covenant: “You signed up for this remember, enjoy it!.” What’s most important is the support you get from volunteers at aid stations and the spectators who come to cheer on their family and friends; it literally lifts you up and keeps you moving when you want to quit.

Despite signing up for suffering it’s the positive energy of the entire day that keeps you invested in finishing.

Lesson #4 Everyone Needs a Team

It’s hard to find the positives in suffering when you are alone and into the deep mental waters.

What made this 50K extra special for me was racing with my best friends all part of a team. I was invited to the race by my biz coach Zach Homol and my biz partner Dylan Spina, was joined by my close friends Mike Donatelli, Adam Sikora, Mike Whitlaw, and Daniel Taylor, and led on the course by our endurance coach and my coaching client Ryan Dreyer. Together we formed team Tribal Training and we were the talk of the race due to our matching race shirts, infectious smiles and positive energy, and the clear fun we were having at being able to race together! 

When someone on the team was down we all picked them up and when two of our members didn’t make the race cut off time we went out, found them on the course, and brought them home across the finish line.

Lesson #5 LOVE is the Deepest Power  

All of this points to an affirmation of what I believe to be the root of finding meaning and purpose in sport; moving from love first. 

Love is what got me to starting line; wanting to share an experience and create memories with my brothers through mutual struggle and determination. Love is what got everybody to the finish line; our two teammates who finished the race after the cut off would not quit because of the love they had for themselves and the love we showed them through our support. Love was the whole vibe of the race from the director running cold water out the to last few people on the course in 95 degree heat, all the family and friends cheering everyone on to the finish line, and the smiles on everyone’s face even though they hurt and were beyond tired. 

Love is the deepest power and ultrarunning is a sport that is fuelled by love more than any other sports I’ve ever experienced.

Takeaways

For me the final takeaways are clear.

Competing with a team of your best friends is a lifetime memory. Challenging yourself to take on something bigger than you imagined will teach you about resiliency and your potential. And if you combine them into one activity it will become something more special than you ever imagined.

Come join our team at Tribal Training and experience what it’s like to find meaning through mutual struggle, we’d love to have you! https://www.traintribal.com/