100 Miles Won’t Fix This

When Ambition Becomes Dangerous

On Saturday, October 24, I ran with Scott. It was an easy run. We talked about a lot of things, including the Last Person Standing event.

He asked me about longer training runs.

My mind immediately went to excessive training, disordered eating, and an unhealthy desire to prove people (who are these people? Why are they in my head?) wrong.

Long training hours require food. Lots of it. I started to reflect on the lighter is faster approach I’ve had in the past. I’ve had moments where I wondered whether I should eat those last few French fries or avoid putting on the ‘weight.’

This type of thinking can be harmful to my health because it can go from one French fry to an entire meal in the snap of a finger.

The spiral can happen fast….I know, I’ve been there.

The Running World Has Changed

I think the running world has lost its mind. Conversations used to be about achieving and accomplishing goals. There was a time when people weren’t putting Strava maps over every Reel or treating running a marathon without training like some sort of flex.

And I get it. Attention is currency these days. I am not opposed to it to the point of despising it. 

I am wondering if doing something ‘out of the ordinary’ will bring people to the pages of The Everyday Athlete so that they can read / listen to these stories.

On December 31, I’ll be taking part in the Last Person Standing event at Across The Years.

My  goal is to run 100 miles. I’ve done it before. Recently, I practiced the format at Hustle In The Heartland and hit 40 miles in 8 hours while feeling really good.

So why does this particular goal feel like it’s carrying more weight than it should?

Why I’m Chasing 100 Miles

This is a question I ask myself every time I register for a Last Person Standing event. I have finished eight 100-mile races. It isn’t the distance. It has to be the format.

The format is challenging. Go out hard and have a lot of rest. Go out slow and risk not having enough time to get food, drink, etc.

I think the answer to the question is:  It is even. It fits nicely into a box. 100 miles, 24 hours. The math just maths. And if you know me, you know that I love math.

Like most other running goals…..it’s arbitrary and nobody will care if I get there or if I don’t.

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The Thought I Don’t Like Admitting

Hitting 100 miles has cachet in the sport of running. 100 miles at a Last Person Standing seems to have even more cachet.

I don’t want to admit this (yet here I am) but that feels like a number that will bring attention to The Everyday Athlete. It will get people to say: Hmmm, who is this guy?

They’ll look me up and find this platform along with the stories of the athletes that get lost in the attention economy.

April Pullins told me her thoughts about registering for races in Montana. A Black woman traveling to unfamiliar faces and whether or not people will accept her.

Jennifer Comfort shared how losing a close friend contributed to her struggles with alcohol. Her story eventually brought us to an unexpected moment: getting fitted for a bridesmaid dress.

I am having a hard time making this 100-mile goal about me because I never wanted this platform to be about Jason. I wanted this platform to be about those Everyday Athletes because they deserve their flowers too.

It is uncomfortable to shed a spotlight on myself but I cannot think of another way to get the attention of the public in this short-attention-span economy.

Running on My Terms

Recently, I’ve put boundaries on social media and The Everyday Athlete Platform. I only use the platforms during designated hours. I need to do this for my mental health.

Now, here is where setting that boundary expands. I will have to put boundaries on my training. 2 hours max during the week and 4 hours max on a Saturday or Sunday.

Eating? A priority. Talking to Lori and asking her to pay attention to what I’m consuming. Not necessarily nitpicking the choices but making sure that I am eating, especially after a long run.

Let’s call those boundaries the guardrails on the bowling alley of training. They will keep me heading in the right direction….toward the pins!

What Actually Matters

Getting to 100 miles is important but not at the expense of my mental health (or physical health either!)

Would it be nice to say that I accomplished that goal? It sure would. BUT I also know that a day or a week later…nobody will remember. Your accomplishment will fade into obscurity (unless you want to share it on our platform).

Understanding that my value isn’t determined by 100 miles won’t make the distance any shorter. But maybe it’ll make the journey a hell of a lot healthier.

And when I do (or don’t) there will be dancing at the end!

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