7 THINGS I LEARNT FROM RUNNING FOR 32 HOURS

When you run an Ultra Marathon, or take part in any ultra-endurance for that matter, it tests you in ways that you would never have thought possible. I anticipated this challenge would test my limits mentally and the toll it would take on my body, but nothing could prepare me for experiencing it in real time. You learn to adapt, get used to being uncomfortable, and push through the repetitive ‘boredom’.

When I did my 105km ultra marathon in Borneo, there were a number of dark moments. I came away with some lessons, which I still apply in my daily life and you can too.

1.     KEEP MOVING FORWARDS

There were 12 hours of night where we were running in pitch black darkness, with nothing but our head torches shining 20 meters in front. It was monotonous and repetitive, but we had to keep focusing on moving forwards, looking out for unsteady ground and wild dogs barking at our ankles. We had sun stroke, our feet were screaming for us to stop, and people falling over around us. With the clear goal ahead of us, we could not afford to look back at what had been and instead kept putting one foot in front of the other. In times of exhaustion and pain, it was our minds that we had to keep control of. All we knew we had to do was to keeping moving forwards and keep taking the steps into the unknown.

“Be Brave and Take Risks: You need to have faith in yourself. Be brave and take risks. You don't have to have it all figured out to move forward.” ― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

There will be times in your life where you get stuck in the moment, or you keep looking backwards. Instead you must let the pain visit you, allow it to teach you. But you must not allow it to overstay.  

I apply this lesson by not letting things, people, and moments, stay in my mind too long so that they negatively impact me. I allow these things to be building blocks that keep me learning, adapting, and moving forwards.

2.     FOCUS 

It is vital to know where you want to go in life – how can you expect things to change if you don’t know the direction you want to go in? It was simple for us – cross the finish line of the 105km run. That was our focus.

This is something I apply within my coaching, training, and my personal life – Keep It Simple. There’s so much information and choice that we often lose sight of where we wanted to go in the first place. Understanding what you want allows you to better navigate through life and really focus.  

3.     OUR MINDS ARE STRONGER THAN WE THINK 

Running for 32 hours in the jungle taught me that you will go through waves of emotion, from serious highs to serious lows. Your brain one second is thinking you can do this, then the next minute it wants to stop and sleep.

It was a true test of will and mental resilience. As a friend of mine said: rock bottom will teach you more lessons than the mountain tops. 

The truth is we will never know how capable we really are of anything until we experience it for ourselves. Experiencing moments like this it makes you stronger, more so than you will give yourself credit for. 

4.     ALL ABOUT THE JOURNEY

Yes, it’s true! The journey is more powerful than the achievements themselves. Without discrediting the goals, the process to get to the end destination is where the growth truly happens.

My journey running the ultra marathon was transformative – seeing my mindset shift when I was dedicated to running 100km a week, seeing my body respond to the training, seeing the growth in myself as I kept turning up.  

5.     FINDING YOUR PURPOSE AND YOUR WHY

I did several marathons before taking on my first ultra. I knew this was a big one and not to be taken lightly.

The main purpose of taking it on was to do it for me, and me only. I wanted to see how far I could push and connect with myself. Secondly, I ran for UN Women – I am so passionate about changing women’s lives and giving them opportunities, so I ran and raised money for this incredible cause to contribute to change on a global level. 

Connection is why we're here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives. The power that connection holds in our lives was confirmed when the main concern about connection emerged as the fear of disconnection; the fear that something we have done or failed to do, something about who we are or where we come from, has made us unlovable and unworthy of connection.

Brené Brown

Every action and every choice must be led by purpose. The most important thing is that you follow your direction, your passions, and be authentic to yourself.

6.     YOUR BODY IS INCREDIBLE – LOOK AFTER IT!

Your beating heart, your lungs, your muscles, your brain – everything is functioning in your body in the best way it can to keep it alive. At that moment I couldn’t have challenged my body any more than I did, but I completed it and my body recovered.

There is so much externally that tells you how you think and how you should be. I say choose your mindset and take time to understand how your body functions rather than just its aesthetics. You are capable of so much in your life and your body is capable of achieving absolute greatness – you just have to start moving and you will see!

7.     BEING IN THE NOW 

There is nothing quite like living in the present, being in the now, and moving forwards with no distractions.

Throughout the 32 hours of running, I couldn’t have been more present if I had tried. The conversations with people around me, absorbing the heat, feeling the sweat roll down my neck, hosing ourselves down with water… I was there. I lived that moment removed from my phone and the outside world.

 Too often, we’re guilty of getting lost in our screens rather than holding conversations with strangers or the people we love. It’s always a work in progress, but I build it into my days to remove myself from my screen as much as I can.

 I hope you are able to takeaway at least one thing from this and apply to your life to help you keep moving forwards going after everything you want in your life. 

 KEEP MOVING FORWARDS

Lizzie