Ultra marathons and ultra trail races have become massively popular these past years. We can thank social media and YouTube for all of that.
You may be tempted to believe that if your run is not a hundred miles then it just simply isn’t cool. However, this is far from the truth.
Your self-worth is not determined by the distance that you run. The value of any running is not determined by its distance and has no bearing on your value as a person.
If your run has gotten you off the couch and out the door then that is awesome in and of itself. If you manage to gain some sort of personal insight along the way that’s even better.
A 5K park-run is super motivating to watch as it is filled with people doing what they never thought would be possible for them. Getting moving and getting out into nature is uplifting and inspiring to those around them.
We live in a country where a vast number of people are anything but fit and sporty. So, the mere fact that you’re doing something already puts you into the select minority of healthier people.
We Are All Different
There was one woman I knew years ago that had a 15-mile trail run as her commute to get from home and work.
She would start her morning commute in the dead of night by headlamp to run up a mountain and down the other side. She’d get there, be showered at a local gym, and at her work-desk by 8 am. Then in the afternoon, it would be back up and over the mountain for another 15 miles to get home.
She said it was the only way she could get the volume of training that she needed to compete in ultra-trail races at the highest level while a balance with her work and family life. If I had to try that I would be broken in less than a month.
We Have Physical Differences
Imagine Usain Bolt standing next to Kilian Jornet. Both are runners but that’s where the similarity ends.
One has an abundance of fast-twitch muscle fibers while the other has an abundance of slow-twitch muscle fibers. Their VO2 max rate is vastly different. When it comes to their hematocrit in other words to the number of oxygen carrying red blood cells within their blood is so completely different you might think they are from different planets.
Longer Does Not Mean Better
Running ultra distances over and over again breaks most of us down. That’s physically emotionally and mentally.
Plus, life is hard enough as it is without breaking yourself down to the point of injury or illness.
Do The Distances That You Love
Remember that the distance that you capable of running at the moment might be the distance that inspires someone else to change their lifestyle for the better and get off the couch get out the door get running and start living a healthy life.