People ask me why I run ultras.

My dad stated some years ago when I started all this that anyone who would ask would not understand the answer.

The first time I ever raced was 10 miles. I went into it having never run any distance even close to that and had no idea if I could do it. It was the greatest feeling crossing the finish line and Ive never stopped since.

In a few weeks Im going to run my third 50 miler, then a marathon a few wks later (not sure if Im going to run it or walk it yet), and then a week later, my 3rd 24-hour loop race. I did 50 the first time, 100k the second, and I’d like to do 75 miles this time! And that’s my spring racing season, for which I have not really prepared, at least not as far as time on my feet goes.

I will re-assess how I feel about #Grindstone after the summer. I have had people say that I should try a 100 Miler that is less technical. Maybe a nice flat loop race. That’s not what I want to do though. Its not just the miles or distance – it’s so much more. I want to go back to that course which was the hardest most technical thing Ive ever set foot on and accomplish it – and qualify for Western States while Im at it. Qualifying for #WesternStates, is, to me, what I guess, qualifying for #Boston is for marathoners.

And while we are at it – I just watched the Barkley documentary and I cannot stop thinking about it.

The wretched James Earl Ray, who assassinated Dr Martin Luther King Jr, escaped the ‘inescapable’ Brushy Mountain Maximum Security prison.
He made it 8 miles in 54 hours. And THAT is where the #Barkley takes place. It is this unmarked, ever changing course. No gps allowed. Five 20 miles loops going up and down 12k feet every pass – the equivalent to going up and down Everest, twice. Flesh tearing thorns. No course markings. Just books that you tear pages out of to prove you’ve gone where youre supposed to go.
In 30 yrs, 16 have finished, and it took 10 yrs for the first person so finish. No female, ever.

IM GOING TO FINISH THIS RACE.

Mark my words.

And Im gonna do the whole Appalachian Trail, and maybe Machu Piccho. I have got so much to do. One Step at a Time.

Gary Cantrell:

“you cant accomplish anything without facing the possibility of failure”

“to find out that something, about themselves” – “challenge your limitations”

“you cant tell how much you can do, until you’ve tried more”