You all know how much I love running. And you know I enter several races a year. You might wonder why just running around my area isn’t enough for me – why do I have to enter a race when I know I’m never going to win. That’s a very valid question. To me, running is about life and living. I thrive on it. I found out recently how much it does matter to me because I went through a period where I didn’t really care if I ran or not. I had some reason (aka excuse) every morning not to go out there. And I have never been an afternoon runner so that was out too. I’d lost my motivation – completely. I don’t know what happened but I was having other problems at the time too and I think I was afraid to run.

But I had signed up for the 72 hour event I did last weekend and wanted to go even though I was pitifully trained (or not trained at all actually since I came back from Tennessee in July and had to recover from my back injury) and then I was experiencing a great deal of life and work stress so all components were out of whack. But I started to pay attention to my nutrition (more about that on another blog/page – but it’s essential that we pay attention to our nutrition) and as a result I started to feel some better. Amazingly during and after last weekend, I felt better than I have in about 3 months. I don’t know why but what I do know is that I realized how much running was life for me and how much the family and love that I have experienced in my ultra running is what it’s all about. I won’t win any races ever but I win every time I go to one because I meet new people (even shy little me meets others) and I rekindle relationships with those I’ve met before. And I am always welcomed with open arms and I feel so much a part of one big family when I’m there. That provides more nutrition for the soul and spirit than you can imagine.

What do you have in your life that can provide you this much sustenance? I hope you have some activity that provides you the same degree of love, family and joy that running and ‘racing’ does for me.

I have to tell this one amazing story. It was the middle of the night on night two and it was raining but along came this young man passing me but he knew who I was and told me he had read my post on “life is like an ultramarathon” and he enjoyed it. That meant so much to me. It kind of made the whole weekend in one way. But what really made the weekend was seeing the folks I met last year and having them take care of me the whole time. It’s brought me back to real life and happiness.

Find something that represents love and life for you and do it, no matter what!

Terrie