“Are you going to go for a fourth?” the curly-haired announcer asked me as I stood near the starting gate of the 5K Foam Fest on an overcast day in April 2018. I had just completed my third lap a few minutes ago, and people were beginning to line up for the next wave.
“Thinking about it,” I answered.
“You don’t have to, you know.”
“I’m feeling good, let’s do it,” I answered. And with that, I got in line for the next wave, which would be two more than I planned on doing that day, and would be the most miles I’ve done in a day. The thought was…strange, but I felt ready.
Just three years prior in 2015, I competed in my first obstacle course races (OCRs). These were 5Ks, like the Foam Fest…and after one lap I was done. Worn out. I had to go home after getting cleaned up and have a nap, then still felt sore for days. Fast forward a few years and a lot more races, and now I’m getting four laps in on a 5K, and would’ve done more if there were more time. (I think there’s something seriously wrong with me.)
I’m definitely not super fit by any means. I’ve never been a great athlete. I only beat into me (“learned” would be too “clean” a word here) a few things about how to keep going, and how to face obstacles. I thought about borrowing the mic that day to say a few things to that last wave I went with, something to encourage them.
First of all, tie up your shoes, and tuck the loops under your laces. They’ll stay on better. (Or get yourself some good trail running shoes. I like my Solomons.)
Second, you may reach an obstacle that you will feel is 100% unsafe and you are utterly, completely terrified to do. The Inner Voice of Safety will be at its maximum volume. In that case, if you really feel endangered, walk around. No shame. This also applies if you have an injury that will get aggravated. Use your head.
However, if it’s anything less than that, if it’s just a little nervousness, a little doubt, then it’s just an issue of getting yourself up, over, through, across, or whatever. If that’s the case, then pause, clear out your thoughts. Picture how you’ll get through it. Then clear it out, and get one word in your head: COMMIT. Let that word get louder and louder in your mind until you’re ready to tear through that obstacle. Yell if you have to. If it helps, picture the people in your life that have brought you down, the ones that have told you “you can’t do that”…the ones that make you mad. COMMIT to proving them wrong.
Third, if you see anyone struggling, anyone fighting…encourage them. Offer them your help. You’ll find by lending them your energy, your own will magnify. Cheer for everyone, not just who’s on your team. It becomes easier to believe in ourselves when we support others.
Run hard, run safe, push yourself, help and encourage those around you.
Those things all help me keep going; they’re part of why I went from dying from a 5K to comfortably completing four laps (sure, different course, but still a marked improvement. I completed two laps at Warrior Dash 2018 and was set for a third, but the waves were gone there, too). There’s some more, probably more basic reasons that wouldn’t fit in that little speech.
First, gear. When I plied off my shoes in 2015, I had huge heel and toe blisters from my street shoes that were not made for what I just went through. I upgraded immediately, and currently run in Solomon S/LAB Amphibs. Good socks are also essential to preventing blisters. If your feet get shot, you’re not going to enjoy the experience. Getting a good flask belt has helped as well (though I’ll go with a hydro pack for longer runs) – using that with Cytomax has ended my days of calf cramps.
Second, training. I’ve been doing longer road runs, having built up from shorter ones. I’ve been doing workouts after work consistently. I also added rucking (running with a weighted pack) recently, which really works my endurance. After rucking, regular runs feel a lot lighter.
I keep asking myself why going around so many times and racking up the miles occurred to me, though. The first or second time readily proved that I could handle the course; but something kept getting in my head that I could go another lap. Even on that fourth lap, when I could feel my legs getting gradually stiffer and threatening to cramp (calves finally did start misfiring at the Lily Pad run at the end), I thought about a fifth lap. It would be ugly, but I know I could’ve gotten it done.
Still, I don’t think that’s an answer to the question. “Just because I can” may’ve been part of it; something about proving that I could go farther than I thought I could. Maybe a lot of it was just runner’s high after a while; that shift into totally concentrating on the run, the obstacles, and so on. Worries and the general noise just fades away when you have to focus on getting over a slippery wall, getting though mud pits, or what have you. That’s something.
When I finished those four laps, I didn’t feel elated or proud. I felt stronger than my past, but I knew I had a lot more room for improvement. Upper body strength, weight (well, body composition), speed, and so on. I’m not sure what the end result is; I’ve just created the habit to keep going.
