Finding something worth thinking about

Finally, I watched "Ultramarathon Man." It was about the guy who ran 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days. That's right. Consecutively. I was looking for some inspiration for the upcoming TIR, or even to run a marathon later this year, and this documentary, about Dean Karnazes' journey across the country, provides harsh realities with raw talent. The man makes running look effortless. He found his niche in life and can now run for a living while enjoying it all. Green with envy. The documentary really covers the race that was years in the making and all the people he meets along the way. What's more inspiring are the stories of the other runners who seem to pour out their souls to Karnazes along the trail. There are more stories of cancer survivors than anything else, which has led me to believe that it takes a life threatening event to inspire people to run. Overcoming death or health problems is a big driver here.

It's hard to say that Karnazes is simply your average runner in this film. His running resume is impressive and people flock to be near him. He is definitely a man for the people in that if he's not talking to other runners, running or resting, he's being interviewed by the media, the documentary crew, scientists, physicians, etc. Since running is his life, career, and expertise, he can say a lot about what he does. Little bits of wisdom and inspiration spring from his mouth every step of the way, even in the midst of adversity. I can only assume his book, Ultramarathon Man, is the same way.

So, Inspiration...
I will admit, it did inspire me. All things are possible through sheer force of will and determination.

I'm still lazy though. I was suppose to run 35 minutes yesterday and I think I got out about 20. Ok, not life threatening, but that certainly keeps me under slacker status. So crap. I guess this means I need to look inward *sigh* to find a drive. I feel like I use running as a 'step in the right direction.' If I go this way and accomplish this great feat, other things in my life will follow. That hasn't exactly worked yet, though in some aspects of my life it has promoted more positive thinking. With running comes pain and maybe that's what I've been putting off... Karnazes does recognize the pain with running, but I'm finding with my research of this man,  his wisdom of the sport is really challenging me to think about why I still pursue:


A reference from Dean Karnazes in Ultramarathon Man--

Why was I so compelled to push beyond all plausible limits of physical endurance to complete an endeavor that seemed so obscure and, some might say, irrational?  I wasn't entirely sure myself.  It's not that extreme athletes lack introspection; most whom I've encounter are quite reflective.  It's just that question of "Why?" is not a simple one to answer...

More often than not, the person asking "Why?" is looking for a brief psychobabble cliché to adequately explain the phenomenon, something like: "I run because when I was kid, my father chased me out of the house and down the street with a belt in hand."

To those who asked me "Why?" I would frequently offer up some shallow explanation like "I enjoy running." What I guess I should have said was, "Go out and run fifty miles, then you'll have your answer."

Because I was still searching for mine.