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A sense of humor may be the key to ultra endurance events
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Many people wonder how it's possible to get out and run 30, 40, 50, or even 100+ miles at a time. Some of the most normal questions these ultra distance athletes will hear, 'what do you think about?', 'Don't you get bored?', and maybe the most pushing, 'How do you keep going?'.
There is some element of the ultra athlete that is not fully logical, some element of their brain which compels them to push the known limits of the human capability. There is an element of their brain which is able to forget the extreme pain and anguish which they may have been feeling only moments ago in order to push through the next chunk of miles.
This weekend brings the annual Bethel Hill Moonlight Boogie which offers a 50 miler course and a marathon course. The excerpt taken from their marathon waiver perfectly highlights the humor which ultra athletes must bring with them as their ultimate tool in continuing to move forward.
They write,
"This is not your normal marathon. This is rural, not a city marathon. The course is not certified. You will be in the middle of nowhere all the time with no porta-potties, no splits, no mile markers, no spectators, and late in the run possibly even no other runners. There are only 6 houses on the course and they have dogs. Aid stops are over 5 miles apart, so you will need to carry a water bottle. If you decide to quit, there are no pick-up vans, so you will either have to walk to the aid station or hitch a ride with somebody. The race will start at 6 pm and the temperature will probably be about 85 degrees with little shade. Darkness comes about 9 pm and there are no street lights. You will need a light for the reasons cited in the waiver. If you need to be catered to every couple of miles along the course or worry about running in the dark, perhaps you should not come. We really have seen everything listed in the waiver except the polecats and they are there too. The drop out rate among veteran 50-milers is usually 40% or so. Think long and hard before you enter this event. If Lao-tzu were to give advice about this event he would say, "Come with no expectations and you will not be disappointed."
Also watch the humorous but very real video about the race:
So wherever the next race, next training day brings you, remember to find the humor in what you are doing, and a few more miles will add up without even realizing.
See you our there!
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