I don’t know after they turned so widespread, however lately I’ve seen the proliferation of rustically framed mantras serving as house décor. The chances are limitless: “Get up and be superior.” Or: “Life is what occurs between espresso and wine.” Or: “I simply need to drink wine and pet my canine.” Though they’re not precisely my type of factor, I help something that makes one really feel superior and pet their canine. And I assume for those who want motivation to drink extra wine, then okay.
One in every of these mantra-signs stood out to me: “Do exhausting issues.” The implication is that one ought to do exhausting issues, or that it’s good to do exhausting issues. The mantra bought my consideration as a result of it’s truthful to say that one among my hobbies qualifies as exhausting. For the final decade, my main interest has been path working—particularly, “ultra” working, which is technically any distance longer than a marathon.
I ran my first (and solely, up to now) 100-mile path race again in 2019: the Arkansas Traveller 100 (AT100), which covers trails and forest service roads by means of Arkansas’s Ouachita Nationwide Forest. I grew up in Arkansas, and my youthful brother has gained the AT100 4 occasions and holds the course report, so I’ve a big private connection to the race.
I don’t have any actual expertise (within the uncooked, observe and discipline sense) as a runner; I merely get pleasure from transferring by means of and spending time in remoted, rugged landscapes. And as you may anticipate, working a 100-mile path race is commonly one lengthy suffer-fest, involving rocky and rooty programs with vital climbs and elevation modifications, sleep deprivation (the cut-off time for a few of these races is 30 hours or extra), unpredictable climate, difficulties holding down gas (with out vomiting), and the potential for basic physique shut-down.
And but I’m contemplating placing myself by means of this once more and registering for the Pinhoti 100: a point-to-point race on the Pinhoti Path by means of the southernmost part of the Appalachian Mountains in Alabama’s Talladega Nationwide Forest. Though the race is full and there’s a lengthy wait listing of individuals hoping to obtain an entry, I’m very a lot on the fence about whether or not I’ll even begin the race. I’ll attempt to work out the explanation why on this essay.
Some causes in help of self-imposed struggling
Operating 100 miles is “enjoyable.” Right here we will word the excellence between “Sort I Enjoyable” and “Type II Fun.” For those who seize a beer and a bag of popcorn and watch the movie “Barbie,” that’s simply common outdated enjoyable (Sort I). Then again, Sort II enjoyable, for me, has two central components: It’s derived from actions which are tough (to the purpose of being painful and even depressing), and but it makes one really feel extra “alive” by experiencing a deeper vary of feelings and bodily sensations—one thing that may not be appreciated totally till the exercise has been accomplished. So whereas spending 20-plus hours traipsing by means of the wilderness for 100 miles—which typically seems like a dying march from miles 60 to 90—could possibly be largely depressing whereas it’s taking place, it may be type of enjoyable looking back (Sort II enjoyable).
High quality of life. I typically don’t assume working 100 miles is sweet for you. It might break your physique and thoughts, albeit briefly. However—in my expertise—the self-discipline that comes from making ready for the occasion (and the worry of displaying up with out being ready) can encourage wholesome habits that improve one’s high quality of life. My youngsters are energetic (my 13-year-old is a cross-country and observe runner), and I’m not less than in a greater place to maintain up with them now.
Including reduction. A reduction map illustrates the variations within the elevation of the bottom floor—peaks, valleys, and so forth. In some ways, my day-to-day expertise would largely be a straight line—a plateau—if it was represented on a reduction map. I’m a philosophy professor in one of many richest international locations on the planet; my work entails sitting in a snug chair and transferring phrases round on a laptop computer in completely heated and cooled rooms with occasional breaks to speak about these phrases with college students who’ve the posh of fascinated by philosophy. I’m very lucky, and I’m grateful. Lengthy, exhausting path runs register tiny peaks on my day-to-day reduction map, maybe making me much more appreciative of the luxurious plateau on which I spend most of my time.
Neighborhood. Path working (and extremely working particularly) is largely based mostly on the thought of a supportive neighborhood. In longer races, runners depend upon their crew (sometimes a small group of household or buddies who’re permitted to satisfy the runner at varied areas alongside the course to are inclined to the runner’s wants), help station volunteers (motley and enthusiastic, able to make you giggle or hearken to you cry), and fellow runners. 100-mile races specifically contain lengthy stretches of solitude, however one nearly at all times settles right into a groove with one other runner for a number of miles. Shared hardships like this have the potential to create deep bonds, as does mutual help.
Deepening expertise. I suppose that is in the end what it’s about for me. I’ve been preoccupied with dying since I used to be a baby, and I’ve most likely been in a midlife disaster for many of my life. (I quit my job as an FBI special agent to study philosophy, for God’s sake.) That is one purpose it may be tough for me to show down uncommon challenges that may result in sudden experiences of magnificence, development, and even failure. It looks as if the exhausting issues are sometimes the issues with essentially the most potential to yield these types of experiences on a deeper degree. And I hate to be melodramatic, however time is working out.
Some methods we’d deceive ourselves about self-imposed struggling
I simply completed writing a guide referred to as Police Deception and Dishonesty – The Logic of Lying that’s about—you guessed it—police deception and dishonesty. Over the course of writing that guide, I started fascinated by all of the methods I is likely to be deceiving myself in regards to the causes I topic myself to struggling. Listed here are a number of of my worries.
Options. First, there are many methods to have enjoyable, Sort I, II, or in any other case. Why not run, say, 50 and even 100 kilometers? Hell, how a couple of Turkey Trot 5K? Why 100 miles? Or how about simply going for an extended hike? And I’ve already talked about that truly working 100 miles itself most likely isn’t significantly good for you, so why not set much less excessive objectives that help you obtain comparable well being and high quality of life advantages? Wouldn’t these actions produce the identical fascinating outcomes with out requiring such excessive struggling and sacrifice?
Privilege. Second, doing exhausting issues might present “reduction” in my life, however my self-imposed struggling is remarkably privileged. My socio-economic benefits lead to my having to create struggling to understand the complete vary of life’s experiences. Take a look at what’s taking place on the planet at the moment. There are lots of who don’t have any selection however to dwell a lifetime of hardship and struggling, and it might appear unforgivably egocentric for me to embrace struggling as a “interest.” Relatedly, there are lots of people who don’t have the choice to run 100 miles (or run in any respect) due to mobility challenges and different causes. (Though I’ve centered on extremely working as a private instance of self-imposed struggling, there are after all many different examples that is likely to be obtainable to an excellent broader vary of individuals. And I see no purpose that these examples want be restricted to actions which are primarily bodily in nature.)
Loss of life denial. Third, the experiences that one seeks by means of self-imposed struggling are maybe nothing greater than an embarrassing try and cope with a bourgeois midlife disaster—a useless approach of chasing “toughness” or immortality. Certain, working 100 miles is likely to be higher than shopping for a sports activities automobile, however maybe solely reasonably so. If I actually need to have significant experiences, possibly I ought to simply spend extra of my time volunteering and serving to these with better wants than my very own.
Recklessness. Lastly, maybe the type of self-imposed struggling I’ve described is reckless, each personally and environmentally. Concerning the previous, I fear that working one other 100-mile path race may show a reckless disregard for the wholesome physique I’ve at the moment. Concerning the latter, maybe it’s irresponsible for me to pursue this interest as a result of—in my case—it requires me to personal a 4×4 truck that makes it potential for me to get to the off-the-beaten-path areas the place I get pleasure from tenting and coaching.
A tentative conclusion
The objections I’ve famous aren’t the one ones I needs to be fearful about. There are extra, and I’m not even positive I can tackle those I’ve described. It’s for that reason that I don’t know whether or not I’ll be on the beginning line of the Pinhoti 100. If I do present up, I feel it would have one thing to do with the next issues.
Primarily, I’m optimistic that I’m not less than acutely aware of the methods I is likely to be deceiving myself about my motivation to run 100 miles. And that offers me hope that simply possibly I’m embracing this eccentric interest for the fitting causes.
For me, path (and extremely) working is really enjoyable, and enjoyable of each the Sort I and the Sort II varieties, and I feel folks have an curiosity in doing issues that give them pleasure (even when they’re unusual pleasures). A part of the enjoyable isn’t just the bodily problem, but additionally the mental and psychological problem. Operating 100 miles is sort of as a lot about logistics and planning (determining methods to sort out the particular course, when and what to eat, methods to use crews and pacers, and so forth) as it’s about bodily health.
Though there’s not as a lot ethnic range as one may like, the extremely working neighborhood is thought for embracing all kinds of runners with all kinds of skills and our bodies. The help station volunteers cook dinner scorching meals for the runners and handle their bodily and emotional wants. They need everybody to have an exquisite expertise, whether or not they’re on the entrance of the pack or the again. And whereas entry charges to the races aren’t precisely low-cost, the mandatory gear is just not cost-prohibitive for most individuals (a great pair of footwear, a headlamp, and a few bottles and pockets during which to hold gas).
It might be higher if I drove a Prius—and even an Outback—however these automobiles actually wouldn’t get me to a few of my favourite spots to camp and prepare. I drive a six-year-old, midsize, 4×4 Toyota Tacoma with a modest V6 engine; my roundtrip commute to work—which solely occurs a number of days every week—is 8 or 9 miles. I haven’t flown to Europe for work or pleasure in properly over a decade. I do know this sounds defensive—and it actually doesn’t justify something—however maybe it’s related to an all-things-considered evaluation.
I nonetheless fear that part of my motivation is misleading—that I’m truly attempting to run 100 miles (once more) as a result of it makes me really feel higher about getting outdated. Or that I’ve come to subconsciously benefit from the concept of getting an eccentric, tough interest. Then again, I’m fairly assured that path and extremely working permit me to expertise distinctive, real moments of solitude, magnificence, and development. So there’s that.
I don’t know if I’ll be on the beginning line of the Pinhoti 100, however these are issues I’ll think about in reaching a call. And if I do begin the race, I feel will probably be in defiance of a well-liked extremely working mantra that I might have adopted in earlier years: “By no means—ever, ever, ever—give up (except you’re about to die).” I don’t want to run and end this race; I have to determine whether or not I need to be there to see what unfolds, and whether or not it’s for the fitting causes.
Absolutely most readers are considering: It’s a dumb race—who cares? Truthful sufficient, however I assume that is what philosophy professors do. Maybe I ought to simply “preserve calm and drink wine,” as they are saying.
Coda
Luke was recognized with COVID-19 after which flexor hallucis longus tendonitis within the weeks main as much as the Pinhoti 100 (November 4 – 5, 2023). After three weeks of relaxation and low-impact coaching (largely swimming along with his canine), he felt comfy beginning the race. Luke was crewed by his brother (Wesley) and 13-year-old son (Henry, who paced Luke from mile-95 to mile-100), and he was cheered on by his spouse (Melissa) and youngest son (Oliver). Luke considers this shared expertise—on a shocking day within the Talladega Nationwide Forest—to be his most significant run. He completed in 22:38 for twelfth place overall.
