11 Life Lessons I Learnt From Marathon-Ultra Marathon Running

Terry Fox was a Canadian who was diagnosed with bone cancer at the age of 18. His right leg was amputeed above the knee in 1977. During his stay in the hospital he was so moved by the suffering of other cancer patients that he decided to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research.

 On April 12, 1980 he started his journey, which he would call as Marathon of Hope. He ran 42 km (26 miles) a day through Canada for 143 days covering 5,373 km( 3,339) miles.

Terry was forced to stop running because the cancer had appeared in his lungs. He passed away on June 28, 1981 at the age of 22.

Marathon Hope is organised in many countries across the world to raise fund for cancer research. Thus the legacy of Terry Fox continues to live on. As of 2019 Marathon of Hope has raised 750 million dollars.

                                                                                                               

 

The story of Terry Fox is of Grit, Determination, Hope, Sacrifice and Compassion.

I am also an avid Marathon and Ultra Marathon ( distance beyond  42 km is known as ultra marathon), recreational runner. Long distance runs truly reveals one’s true character. These runs call for total commitment and lots of hard work. There is no shortcut.

 

Long distance runs teach you many invaluable life lessons. I am enumerating the lessons I have learnt from running and training for marathon/ ultra marathons races over the years.

1.    Everything is Possible 

When the thought of running  marathon is more than enough to make you nervous , attempting to run ultra will definitely give you sleepless nights. However, with right attitude and proper training it is possible to run at any distance be it 42 km, 100km or 100 miles. It is all in your head.

We have dreams in our lives which we want to accomplish. But the self doubt creeps in which does stops us from starting on our journey to accomplish the goal. There have been countless people before us who have accomplished similar goals in the past, then there is no reason that we can not achieve them. 

Have an attitude of- If someone have done it I can also do it- If no one has done it I will do it. We are limited by our thoughts and beliefs.

2.    Be Humble

Long distance commands respect. Sometime people try to run these runs with arrogance. One must have strong belief in one’s capabilities however must be humble. Similarly in life we might have achieved enormous success but must not allow arrogance to take control of us. Be humble you don’t know when you might have to swallow your pride.

 

3.    Hard Work

There is not substitute to hard work. You might be hugely talented, might have good attitude, very confident but so long as you don’t put in hard work you will not be able to achieve your goals.

 You got to go out every day to work towards your goal. You have to make the sacrifices other people are not willing to make. If you do that you will have the success other people will not have.

4.    Have a Plan and Execute it well

Before you jump into action, take time to plan. Find out how you would do a particular activity, what resources would be required, what skill sets would be required to accomplish the goals. If you find any gap in the skill set then go and upgrade your skills.

Having a plan is not enough you must execute the plan well. At the beginning of any project or activity motivations and energy levels are usually very high. When the adrenaline is high one tends to throw caution to the wind. This attitude derails the whole plan and may impact successful competition of the project. 

This is similar to starting off faster than you had planned when you are running a 100 km race, because you are facing very strong. After a while the fatigue starts to set in, your tank starts getting empty and you start to suffer. 

This can be condoned in a short distance run but in a long distance run it is suicidal. Consequently, you may have to quit the race. Hence, it is important to have a plan and equally important to execute it well with discipline.

 

5.    Be Flexible

 Many a times things do not go as you have planned. So you must be adaptable to the changing circumstances and make changes in our plans as you go.  

 

6.    Challenge Yourself

Challenge provides vigour and excitement in life. Every runner tries to improve his timing or tries to run farther every year. If he runs the same distance at the same speed every time, then it will become very monotonous and he will lose interest in the activity. Similarly challenge yourself to make the life exciting. Acquire new skills, take additional responsibilities at work, strive for excellence, set new and bigger goals and accomplish them. Remember challenges will bring out the best in you.

 

7.    Break the Goal Into Smaller Chunks

When we set a goal for ourselves it seems insurmountable, which discourages us to even take the first step. It is good strategies to break the goal into many smaller goals and start working them. When the goals are smaller it does not scare you off and once you accomplish smaller goals it gives you energy to continue the momentum.

8.     Don’t Be Afraid to Fail

Don’t sell yourself short. Many of us don’t set big goals  because we are afraid to fail. There is no point not full filing one’s true potential due to fear of failure. Set audacious goals for yourself and set out to achieve them. Even if you fail you would have become wiser and  will not have any regret when you are on your deathbed.

 9.    Move from I have to do I want to do 

When we say I have to do something, it appears that we are doing it under compulsion. The locus of power is outside of us. So change it to I want to do it. It shows your eagerness, commitment in performing the task. Now the locus of power is inside you. When the shit hits the fan, the person who has the attitude of I want to do it will persevere through the tough time as he is committed and driven to accomplishing the goal.

10.    Enjoy the Process 

An ultra-marathon may finish, depending upon the distance and your speed, in 10-12 or 1-2 days also. However, one need to train rigorously for 6-8 months or even year to be able to complete the race comfortably without any injuries. Hence it is important that one enjoys the process of training otherwise the training of 6-8 months will be painful.  

Similarly when we start our journey to accomplish any goal we are so fixated on achieving the end result that we do not enjoy the process  of getting there. So it is imperative that I enjoy the journey or process as well.

 

11.    Pain  is Temporary

 Every runner whether he is an elite or recreational runner goes through lots of physical and mental pain and suffering during the run. The biggest difference between the people who finish the race and who quit is that they continue inspite of all the pain and suffering. When you keep moving through the pain it will disappear after some time.

In our live also we encounter physical and psychological pain and sufferings many a times. The people who succeed know that all pains and suffering are temporary.

 

Pain is Weakness Living the Body--- United States Marine Corps

  

I recommend you to take up any endurance sports like running, cycling or triathlon  to make yourself mentally and physically tough.

 

I got satisfaction out of doing things that were difficult. It was an incredible feeling. The pain was there, but the pain didn’t matter.”—-Terry Fox