Just over 4 years ago I ran my first half marathon and I tell everyone about how after I crossed the finish line I said to my wife, “that is absolutely stupid, who runs that far. I’m never running that far in my life again”
This weekend I line up to run my first 100 mile trail race. Technically, 108 miles or 175kms, but who’s counting, eh??
It’s not the challenge that lays ahead, but the journey and story of where it all began. You see, I was this frustrated annual runner, with the 14km City 2 Surf in Sydney being my biggest challenge. But I couldn’t run it all.
So here is where the story begins. I decided to join up with an organisation called Can Too, a group who trains you to run half marathons whilst you raise funds for research into the cure for cancer. So one minute I’m basically a couch potato and the next I’m training for a half marathon, the biggest sporting event in my life.
But not only do I get trained for the ½ marathon, I meet many fabulous people along the way. It strikes me how lucky I have been to know very few people with Cancer and how passionate those are to find a cure for those who have had it affect their life. You can’t help see the impact that Can Too makes to people’s lives.
So how did I keep going? Why am I still running at all. Doh – I’d already signed up for the marathon program before I ran the half!! One of the best mistakes in my life.
We’re half way through training for the marathon, doing an easy 25kms, when it strikes me:
It’s all relative
When the mind sets up a limitation, it works within that confine. Well, with that lightning bolt, didn’t it open the Pandora’s box. Not only could I apply this to my running, but the next swim program I joined up and a few more Marathon programs I’ve done since. Why not give trail running a crack, yeah, why not, it’s all relative. Start with a half, no lets just do the full marathon on your first trail run. 42km, why not, lets try 45km, or 100km. This relative thing is really working. Yes, there have been a few ups and downs, but as long as I have cared for the body, the mind has usually been able to drag it along.
Steve training for an Ocean Swim at Bondi Beach
But you know what? You can take this back into the real world (where people just think you’re crazy) and actually apply it to your relationships, friends or work environment. If you truly open your mind, great things are possible and I think in the last few years I’ve been able to improve the world with these thoughts.
So what does it mean?
It means this weekend I find myself facing a 100 mile race. And you know what, I’m looking forward to it.
But I owe a great amount of indebtedness to Can Too, so whilst I have been training for a 100 mile race this weekend, I have also been acting as a mentor for a great group of Can Too participants on the Northern Beaches and haven’t they taught me a heap about relativity. What that means is the following weekend, I also line up for the Blackmores Sydney Running Festival Marathon. Yes, that’s right, a leisurely (you just keep telling yourself that) marathon the week after running 100 miles. Will the mind and body take it? – who knows. But I am going to give it a crack to make sure the buddies I have been mentoring for 20 weeks cross that finish line but also in support of Cancer research.
Steve working at a fundriaisng BBQ for cancer research
That st where you can help, support me, support a great organisation that not only trains people to run, swim and do triathlons, but also has raised over $15m for cancer research. Help me make a difference by donating to my fundraising page.
And that City2Surf, well I’ve been back and whilst I’ve still never run it all (I am a bit of a walk/run average pacer), I have knocked ½ an hour off my race time.
