Thrill Seeking

 A person in a running FB group posted, "How do you combat post-goal race funk?"  Immediately and without thinking I responded with, "I sign up for something that scares me."  Trouble is... that doesn't really work anymore. 

 

I ran my first ultra in March of 2018, the Behind the Rocks 50k.  I followed that with a second 50k in December of that year in Arizona, the McDowell Mountain Frenzy.  I chopped off about an hour and a half of the 50k time.  In March of 2019 I ran my first 50 miler at Antelope Island.  Again I followed that with a huge distance PR at the Bear Chase in September.  Then September of 2020 I completed my first 100 miler.  So until I do another 100 miler, distance doesn't scare me.  What does?


I guess the next question I typically get is why choose something that scares you?  A few things immediately come to mind:

1- I find that I work harder and have more fidelity when the goal is daunting.  If it's not, I find excuses to skimp or even skip.

2- It's exciting! It's a way to combat boredom.  

3- When I succeed, I feel proud of my accomplishment and the work that went in to making it happen.  

4- Finish lines are FUN! 


When I am on my deathbed, I want to feel that I truly lived my life.  Since I am not making babies and I don't have a family of my own, I need to find this feeling of satisfaction in other ways.  

I guess I have to consider that what scares me in not a run goal at all but something else entirely.  New sport?  New travel? Best be cheap because the education field doesn't exactly make living in Colorado easy.  New career?  UGH! Nothing like an existential crisis on a Wednesday.  

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