Start with why!
Starting with and focusing on your why gives you the fuel to begin and finish big audacious, scary goals. Below are 136 answers to the question,
WHY DO YOU WANT TO RUN AN ULTRA?
Learn more or apply to Season 14 of the Becoming Ultra Project.
I am motivated by setting long term goals that push me outside my comfort zone and force me to grow. Having a big goal becomes much easier with a good coach and will help me build accountability into achieving my goal of being selected for becoming ultra. My wife and I do our long runs together on the weekends and we are both applying to season 11. We push each other to be better for our marriage and to set a positive example for our two teenage boys.
I want to run an Ultra because I think it would be a great experience, especially with great coaching and a supportive group of people. I think its important to be able to train to do hard things so when we come across hard situations in life we are able to deal with them better.
I am a mom to three little ones and a therapist and I try to help my kids every day to have the courage to try new things. I have the honor of witnessing my clients overcome trauma, abuse, mental health disorders and addiction to change their lives- I want to do the same thing in my life. I believe in practicing what I preach. Running used to terrify me. I developed asthma in middle school and thought I wouldn’t be able to run ever again. I am blessed to live in the mountains and run on trails and I hope to be able to increase my fitness and self-confidence to the point where I could run around the mountains all day and night.
I've been looking for a new goal to animate my running. I live in Utah where the trails are plentiful and beautiful. I love to hike (by myself and with my family/kids) but for some reason I've found trail running intimidating. I think because in the grand scheme of things I've only been running 5 years and I still struggle sometimes to see myself as a runner/athlete. I almost signed up for a 50k in November this year, but was too nervous to do it alone. I think having a virtual team/coach would make a HUGE difference.
My former partner has run them. I got to crew one of her races and I met a few people in the community and absolutely fell in love with it. The community isn't like anything else I've ever experienced, the races were so lovely and supportive but also really hardcore which is such a cool combination. Beyond that I really want to do something challenging but I compete best when I am part of pack or a team - I get energy from cheering other people and sharing my experiences even virtually from afar.
Why do I want to run an ultra, because it’s there.’ Mallory’s famous Everest quote is either A.) a profound riddle for the ages that perfectly explains my running motivation or, B.) just really stupid. Unwilling to concede that one man in tweed figured it all out 100 years ago in just three words, I looked for better explanations. Pain, Loss, Fear, anger, depression, anxiety, the undeniable truth that my motivation comes from subconscious struggles. It seems past shortcomings accumulated until they formed a mountain impeding my happiness. Running this sadistic sport that is every other sport’s punishment, seems to help. After each run, this mountain of shadows seems a little smaller, as if the dirt shaken off my shoes came from its summit. With enough miles, perhaps it will eventually disappear. But not today. Today I run because it is there.
I love Becoming Ultra - it is a go to on my long runs. I love challenges and how I feel accomplished and like a superhero after running a new and exciting distance.
I’ve done really hard things in my life without really knowing how hard I was working. I feel like I absolutely CAN run a hundred and that’s good enough reason for me. Not to mention that being on a trail makes me insanely happy and I want to do more of it.
Running an ultra has been a goal of mine since 2010 - yet I haven't pulled together the training or action plan to actually make it happen. I want to spend more time training on trails and exploring more of my new home state.
I like a good challenge and I love running on the trails even though I don’t feel like I’m great at it. So running an ultra feels like an opportunity to push myself, soak up some sunshine and challenge my body and mind. After volunteering at Western States this June, I decided that running an ultra was something I wanted to accomplish in the next year. The energy and community at Green Gate was nothing short of contagious and I really want to participate in the sport.
This year I have focused on changing my health. I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and was well on the way to becoming my parents who died youngish of preventable diseases. After caretaking for my mom for the past two years, I decided I was not going to pass that legacy on to my own kids. After all, I was super healthy when I was younger! So I worked hard to make the changes my doctor suggested - removed gluten, take a million supplements, gave up sugar... Now I feel amazing and I am ready to take the next step; reclaim my sincere love for running and run the ultra. I've done a marathon. I want the next challenge.
I have dreamt of running an Ultra since I began running on trails in 2018. I am an Emergency Room nurse and believe the ability to move, on any level, is a gift. I never considered myself a runner, but started to run with a few of my fellow ER nurses to cope with the stressors of work. I still remember crying our way through runs to grieve a loss in our department; or the times they were willing to run and help me push the double BOB stroller through the gravel that carried my then 3 year old (we called it cross training!). The trail became the cheapest and most efficient form of therapy. The feeling I have after a long, challenging run is spiritual for me at this point in my life. I have been working through this Pandemic and have had my two little girls (5 & 7 years old) home with me more than ever. Completing an Ultra would be a gift to myself and to my family. I want them to know how much the outdoors can heal and humble you, no matter what life brings your way.
Certainly a big part of running an Ultra is seeing how far my body and mind can go. It's also that I want to face a known challenge and overcome it, and know that I can do hard things. Spending months of training finding new trails, getting lost in nature, all while working towards running in a beautiful location seems like a heck of a good way to spend time. Life is so short, and things can change so quickly, and I don’t want to look back and wonder “what if?”.
Just a couple years ago, I never could have imagined the life I am living now. I wasn’t an athlete growing up (aside from some park district teams when I was little) and as I entered adult life my inactivity only got worse. In fall of 2019, I knew I needed to change things. I was perpetually tired, eating too much fast food, and generally felt bad. Since that time, I have done a lot of reflection and work to build sustainable, healthy habits. I changed the way I ate and committed to living my best and healthiest life. I’ve lost roughly 60lbs along the way. In the process I have come to find enjoyment in running- something that had eluded me before. Running an ultra seems like another great way to challenge myself and continue to grow- physically and mentally. I see the goal of running an ultra as a celebration of sorts- a celebration of the newfound health and happiness in my life.
I have been fascinated with the long distances since I realised people were running them, but I never thought of myself as capable of that sort of thing. Then just before Christmas I saw a film on YouTube called “How to run a 100 miles”, and that just lit a fire in me. I really want to see if I can accomplish something like that. If I can do a thing that seemed impossible just a year ago – that still seems impossible, to be honest. A 50K ultra, then, is a gate into a world where I will get to test my mind and body in ways I never thought possible. I will get to see how strong I really am.
I hear when you run an Ultra you discover who you really are and what you are really capable of. I am curious as to what I would discover within myself.
I'm not sure if it's because of the pandemic, or I'm just getting more comfortable in my own skin and exploring who I am and what I want to do more, or maybe it's just a mid-life crisis since I'll be 40 later this year -- but right now I feel like I am ready for all sorts of changes and new experiences, and am ready to and just embrace everything life has to offer, even the uncomfortable parts like pain. I feel like for a lot of my life I've been the overly-cautious nerdy girl who does what everyone else expects her to do, achieves in all the socially correct ways, and approaches every situation with moderation and sort of half-removed from it. But being more isolated during the pandemic has given me time to think more about what I actually want and who I want to be. I recently resigned from my office job and am trying to strike it out on my own as a fiction writer (talk about terrifying - I've always been working for someone else, even all through college, since I was 15). After years of saying I would never do it, I also recently agreed to be on my community's board of directors (aka HOA) - even though that of course puts a target on my back because everyone hates the HOA lol (pre-pandemic me was too worried about what people thought of me to do this, despite enjoying helping my community). I was previously too worried about everything that could go wrong when running on trails, but I decided to just go do it and see how it goes, and now I absolutely love it - and didn't even get scared away or love it any less when I face-planted during my most recent trail race. :) I used to think I would never run an ultra, like the number of miles just felt too big, but now that I've been listening to the podcast, it feels like it's a doable thing, and something that while yes will be hard work and possibly some pain, both mental and physical, it will be A LOT of fun. I think part of it too is that before I was so scared of failure and what people would think of me if I failed, or even if I somehow did something that (gasp!) wasn't perfect, but I'm rewiring my brain to see mistakes and mis-steps as learning experiences, just another lesson on the way to accomplishing awesome things. Running, especially trail running, brings me such joy, like it feels like play to me -- and I"m ready for all of the good, the bad, the ugly, and the absolutely incredible that comes with ultraunning. Bring it on! :D
Running has been alot of things for me over the years. it has been a weight loss solution, a training activity for other sports. But in the last 2 years it has become a way of life. For me running an ultra would be an ultimate test of what hard work and constancy can do for you. I became a father last summer, and will be the father of two next winter. I want my kids to see what can be accomplished if you stick to something and commit time and effort to it. They will never see what their father could do on the football field, but they will be able to watch me accomplish great things in the running world. I think doing my first ultra will be the start of this process. I dont want this to be my only one. I want this to be a way of life for me. A way to show my children what anyone can do if they focus and are consistant.
The past two years has been the most difficult time of my life. My childhood was good unlike some of the first time ultra runners you’ve interviewed, and for the most part I’ve had a good great adulthood as well. But, in August of 2020 my wife of 20 years had a stroke and we almost lost her. She spent 2 weeks in the hospital and another 5 in a 24-7 rehab facility. Since this was during COVID she did not see our kids for 7 weeks other than through iPads and an occasional window. Fortunately, I was able to see her once she got to the rehab facility. When she left the rehab facility she was wheel chair bound. Now she walks 3 to 5 miles per day. Talk about inspiring! Less than 6 months after that my dad passed away from small cell liver carcinoma. Trying times to say the least. Two of the many things I learned from these two events is that life is short and that the human body can do amazing things if given time and motivation. I coach you soccer and ask my team of nine, 10 year olds to challenge themselves all the time. Hey make that pass, hey dribble past that defender, hey paint the corner of goal, hey use your left foot! Why do I want to run an Ultra, well for many reasons, but the main ones are to challenge myself like I do the kids, inspire others like my wife inspires me everyday and life is short so don’t wait for the best time, why not do it now. I’m a middle aged, over weight dad and husband and want to improve my health and I love to run, and I can’t think of a better way to do get healthy, inspire, and live life today than running an Ultra! And maybe the best reason of all is simply because I can!
In the winter of 2019, my world was rocked when I was diagnosed with a chronic pain syndrome. This condition, called amplified musculoskeletal pain syndrome, confined me to a wheelchair for a year and seemed to mark the end of my running career. But after two years of gruelling physical therapy and countless hours with my neurologist, I ran again. I began training for a half marathon in the summer of 2021 and continued to tackle longer, more technical trail races after that. I am now at the point in my recovery where I can start to think about the future again. I want to take on a great physical challenge to commemorate how far I’ve come, and I believe Jack’s 50k is the race that I need to run. I’m eager to prove to myself that I am strong and capable in spite of my lingering disability.
I love to push myself and see what I can do. And I know my stubbornness will be an asset!
Why ultras? Ultras have intrigued and attracted me for years now. I’ve been watching youtube videos, listening to podcasts on my commute, and reading books, including Hilary’s :) for a long time now. The inspiration I get from seeing people do “impossible” things fuels my desire to do hard things myself. I think the answer to why ultras is not very different from why run at all. There’s something so meaningful about pushing yourself both physically and mentally when so much of you is telling you to stop, but you keep going anyway. It’s the purest of sports. I don’t run to win awards or beat anyone else. I run to simply push myself to do things I’m not sure I can do. Running is a metaphor for life. You get out of it what you put into it. You have to work hard to accomplish your goals. There will be ups and downs but the important thing is to keep moving forward. Everyone experiences hardship in life and sometimes you just want to quit because you don’t know how you can go on, but you do, and running is no different. I can’t help but think about what Hilary has gone through (maybe it’s the physical therapist in me) as the perfect example of this. So why I want to run an ultra is because I view running as a way to continue to push myself and continue to grow as a runner and in life. I’m not sure I’ll ever be 100% content as a runner because I’ll always want to go further or faster which is the beauty of the sport. It has no limits except for the ones you place on yourself. I see running this 50k as the next step in my evolution as a runner, but not an ending point. I plan on continuing to push myself to run further and faster.
To get back into shape, to feel what it feels like to finish a race again, to be part of the community again.
Mostly why not? I never thought I could run a marathon, but was able to do that this year! I’d love to inspire others to get outside and get running! Definitely someone who enjoys the outdoors and hiking, so ultras are up my ally.
I feel that a lot of people view running as an individual sport and treat it as such. Going through the process of seeing Madeline go from where she was to completing her first Ultra changed that paradigm for me. I realized, very quickly, what was needed on the home front to ensure that she could put in the hours for training. Whether it was her time out running, or our time helping her with support on runs, it was an endeavor. Secondly, I saw her communication with her community. Text chains or phone calls or zooms to help guide her in her journey. Coaches that were able to help her in terms of training or diet. Friends she leaned on for support. I saw all of this come together this past weekend when she ran her first Ultra. Her community was in full force. Cale and Meghan Pearson met us Friday night for dinner and we were able to talk. The next day they picked her up for the race, assisted her on the trail, and provided me with locations of where I could easily take our daughters to meet Madeline to give her some pops of inspiration to keep going and finish. No one had to assist her. No one had to be ready to help her. But they did. Seeing what the community brings, and the care, and sacrifice to help someone was truly inspiring. The texts poured in from her community and to see outpouring of support and love was amazing. This was an individual fete in moving her feet from start to finish; yet, it was also a collective effort that lasted more than this past Saturday. It stretched way back to when she started running/training, and will continue on. Why would I want to run an Ultra? Because of the community, the humans who make this journey something special that doesn’t end on race day, but extends in help and care for others.
I love spending long hours outside in nature! I can't keep quitting jobs to thru hike though so Ultra seems like the obvious solution.
I love to push myself to accomplish what I didn’t think I could. My motivation is to always go after what I didn’t think was possible.
I am inspired and awed by the people I know who have run Ultras. I think finding that strength in myself will be an incredible journey of self-discovery.
The main reason I want to run an ultra is because of my sister. She has a few ultras under her belt and it is so inspiring. Every time she completes one it makes me so motivated to get out and push myself. What better way to do that , then run an ultra? To do something like this would make me very proud of myself. Also, I want to inspire others like my sister inspires me.
I started running during a challenging time in 2020, as I was trying to find some way to cope with working as a nurse practitioner at a homeless shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic. One mile became two, and so on. I was signed up to run my first marathon in January 2022, but the race was cancelled the week prior due to COVID-19. I pivoted and ran my first marathon self-supported which was hard and beautiful. That May, I crossed my first official marathon finish line during the Cleveland marathon. At mile 25, I was exhausted but heard so clearly in my mind, "Mari, you are meant to go twice this distance."
I don't want to go through life thinking I have only accomplished average things.
I would love to run an Ultra to learn more about training and test my mental and physical limits. With four children, I want them to always know that there are always dreams to achieve and things to learn and challenge yourself.
After years of an unhealthy lifestyle, i am just starting to see that i am capable of more than i ever realized. I have already signed up to run Pass Mountain in Mesa on November 13, 2021. I signed up to run a 50 mile race and my wife has signed up to do their 50k. This would also be her first ultra. i have made healthy changes to increase my longevity for my wife, kids and grandkids. Now i want to run ultras to see what i am capable of mentally and physically. I want to run for those that can't and to continue to inspire friends and coworkers to make health and wellness a bigger priority to themselves.
I like to goal set and accomplishments new things. A 50k , then 50 miler then potentially a 100 miler are the next steps. I am working hard on my physical well being and love just getting out there to run.
There are many things in my life that have happened that are just out of my control. I want to plan and complete something that I know will be a challenge, but that is so worth the time! I have spent so many years running and have always wanted to complete the goal of running an ultra.
Running brings me mental clarity and the best anxiety relief around…but running has also been the continuous reminder that I can overcome hard things and can persevere (mentally, physically, and spiritually) through anything. Running an ultra just feels inevitable for me…it’s one of those scary goals that has been around so long that I don’t know why I haven’t done it yet….it’s like I’m waiting for the perfect time to do it but is there ever a perfect time for anything? After making the painful, yet much needed decision to dissolve my marriage at the end of 2020, committing to running an ultra in 2021 will be a highlight in a year of choosing myself first. I’ll also note, the featured ultra I could be running, if chosen, would be right at the year mark / when my divorce will be finalized—I could not think of any better way to celebrate everything I am than accomplishing this long-time goal.
I have grown to LOVE trail running! If you remember, Scott, I was not sold when I did my first couple trail runs with you coaching me. I felt so slow and tired in parts of my body I didn’t ever feel with road running. Now, my favorite mornings are doing trail runs before a workday and I truly look forward to my several hours of me time on Saturday mornings on the trails. I also am an athlete at heart and I love challenges and continuing to level up my athletic pursuits. I do still play sports recreationally but it’s not the same as having a competition date on the calendar and training that leads up to it. Running a marathon as a “non runner” was incredible and opened my eyes to the things we can do as humans if we put our minds to something. It’s also important to me to always practice what I preach to my patients- we can do hard things and if we act in line with our values, despite whatever we are feeling, there is almost always a positive outcome. Also….my wife and I determined 2020 is the year of me running whatever races I want because 2021 is probably going to be baby time! Maybe my first 50K will be part of my “babymoon" :)
I want to run an ultra to prove to myself I can do anything. I love to sign up for things that I think I can’t do just to prove to myself that I can. The amount of empowerment in that is amazing…
I don't just want to run an Ultra, I NEED to run an Ultra. I love running far distances. Living the last 10 years in a national park, I have LOVED exploring the wilderness but unfortunately because the summers are so busy and I wear so many different hats I find little time to go and explore my beloved Sierra. The reason I started trail running is so I could get places faster and in a short amount of time. I rarely get 2-days off in a row and so when I do get time off I try and utilize the time to the best of my ability by running to nearby lakes, tackling nearby trails, and crushing it as best as I can. Running an Ultra would allow me to build my body and mind to go even farther so I can see ALL the places and go ALL the places I want and do it in a way that is uniquely me. I love backpacking but honestly, I love running more and would be stoked to be able to run Ultra's in the Sierra Nevada. I also have had a goal of running an Ultra since 2018 and every time I set out to accomplish it, I fail. I let other things take precedent and I so easily let go of the goal or settle for something less. I don't want to do that again and I realize that I need help and accountability to crush this goal. I'm ready.
I want to run an ultra because I believe it brings me closer to nature and closer to myself. Road running is fun but it’s nothing like running the trails in my state parks. I feel privileged to see the seasons change and running brings me closer to that. Running and training for an ultra not only allows for the kind of learning reserved for heavy legs and bodies that ache with pain, but there is a reflective nature I’m seeking as well. Plus, I think it would be fun! I love being outside and exercising and to bring these things together would be a dream come true.
I fell into the rabbit hole of ultra running a couple years ago while coming across a video on YouTube of Courtney Dauwalter. Seeing her story made me feel that I had to do that one day.
Honestly, I stumbled upon Courtney Dauwalter on YouTube and I thought "woah, I need to try that.
"My girlfriend has run several and I've crewed her at a race and loved the environment and community and everything about it. These past few weeks since we lived together I've bought a garmin, fell in love with trails and binged every episode of My First Ultra and Becoming Ultra.
Oh man, this is a long one. I guess the easy answer is why WOULDN’T I?? I have a long list if reasons why I’m excited to run an Ultra and, I guess I can get into those reasons more in the next question. The quick rundown is: 1. I love to challenge myself and see what I’m capable of. I never like the feeling of ‘well, that sounds crazy. I could never do that.’ I immediately turn that thought around into “well, of course I can. It requires work, but of course I can do this.” 2. I’ve fallen in love with the Ultra community. I can truly say that the runners I’ve met along my path have changed my life and I am determined to be one of them. 3. For my Dad.
I love trail running and I love the challenge. The half marathon I ran in October left me hungry for more and searching for additional racing opportunities. That same event also has a 50k that I plan to sign up for in October 2021. I’ve joined some running groups and met some runners who have completed ultras before. It keeps coming up, and it feels like the right time to pursue it. I love learning new things and pushing my mind/body to see what I can accomplish. I’d love the opportunity to work with a coach!
I absolutely love being out on the trails. I'm fortunate to have some beautiful wooded and highly technical trails within a couple of miles of my house, but I'm really excited by the idea of running ultras all over the country in the years to come. I am really enjoying the training process and the measurable fitness gains I am making as well.
Running on trails and in the mountains has been transformational. It has energized me and rekindled a joy for distance running. I absolutely love being in nature and am eager to challenge myself to run longer distances in this environment. I have also begun to educate myself on ultra running and have been following ultra runners on social media, which has further inspired me. I like to take on challenges like this and see what I’m able to accomplish.
This last summer, I was supposed to complete at the highest level possible in the US for Australian Rules Football. That was unfortunately canceled due to the pandemic and I've always told myself that after I did the International Cup, I would focus on doing my first ultra marathon. I believe that there is nothing you can't do in life if you set your mind to it, and your mind is the strongest muscle in your body. I want to challenge my mind, along with my body to push it to further than it has ever been pushed before.
Honestly, I got really frustrated with the feeling that a BQ was the only way to feel successful as a runner. I think I was putting SO MUCH pressure on myself to be able to BQ that I lost the joy of running for a little bit. Finally I kind of let that go, knowing I can't measure my success as a runner on one race or qualification. After I kind of let that go, I wanted to reach towards something that WOULD push myself as a runner and help me feel a sense of pride and success. I also enjoy having people look at me like I am a crazy person :). Enter, the ULTRA.
Running an ultra has been a goal of mine for a couple of years, but I haven't been able to piece training together effectively. I have a couple of specific reasons at this stage in my life, on being practical and one being more personal. Practically speaking, I've committed to run a 50k with a friend either next August or August 2022. This particular race requires that you've already completed at least a 50k, so training and running an ultra would satisfy that requirement. However, on a more personal note, it's important on a kind of philosophical level to put myself through a little bit of suffering to grow as a human. I’d really like to show my daughter how to push through pain and come out the end a better person.
To prove to myself I can and for my wife
I’ve always dreamed of running an ultra. I’ve read books and watched documentaries and picture myself overcoming the challenges involved. I love the mountains and hiking and would love the opportunity to blend these two things that I love. I want to be challenged and know that I can acheive whatever it is I set my mind on.
To prove (to myself) I can follow through to success.
I have never done any Ultra running in the competitive realm and believe that the human body is capable of anything. I believe that my gift is being coachable to run distance and I believe I can do it!
I want to run an Ultra because it's a challenge and I love to push myself! I also swore I'd only ever run 26.2+ miles if it were on a trail...so here we are!
I am not highly competitive, so running an ultra has little to do with outrunning anyone (except season 8.5 runner Nathan Caddell, who is a good friend). Mostly I am just fascinated by figuring out how far I can go while still enjoying the ride. It also helps that ultras tend to occur out in beautiful places.
I'd love to run an Ultra because I want to set an example for my daughter by showing her that it is possible to be a phenomenal mom while pursuing your athletic goals and aspirations.
I've always loved challenging myself to a new pursuit or adventure. With Covid ramping back up, I feel that running is my true outlet and source of peace. So there is no time like now! Plus Smith Rock is amazing and I wouldn't want to do my first Ultra anywhere else.
Since my marathon in 2019 I have been looking at them, figured that would be the next level. Thought if I ran 26.2 I could do an ultra?
It would be such an emotional and physical accomplishment. I want to be an ultra runner like all the runners I've been reading about.
I lost over a hundred pounds and when you are that heavy you can't do anything. I have always been a really fast walker and I needed challenge myself and my body in ways I would've never imagined a few years ago.
To prove myself I can, to honor my sons life and service.
Why wouldn't I want to run an Ultra? Seriously, I'm pretty hooked after doing my first and now I'm ready to see what I'm really capable of.
I want to run the Smith Rock Ascent 50k to push myself to the next level- I have gotten so close to first place and maybe I can get to the número uno with some coaching help. I have been able to be competitive out in Oregon without workouts or training plans. However, toeing the line after not completing a training plan has made me feel little to no confidence and extremely anxious. I want to train to get to the next level (because why not?) but also to look at all of my fears and anxieties and choose to be brave.
To me there's something pretty awesome about setting my mind to accomplishing a goal that most people would find nearly impossible. I thrive on setting a big goal. One that takes me out of my comfort zone and pushes me beyond what I know of my physical and mental capabilities. I can only read, follow, watch videos and talk about the goal of me running my first Ultra for so long. Now it's time to put in the work to make this epic goal of mine a reality. ( Plus .. you can't deny the bragging rights I would have around the house! )
Ultimately, my goal is to keep moving and keep running for as many years as I am physically able. My next goal is to run a mountain marathon like the Run Thru Time in Salida, CO, in March 2020. I want to run an ultra because running is the activity through which I am most alive, most myself, and find my deepest connection with our Earth.
I love pushing myself and showing people that doubt me that I can do it. I was signed up for the Wy’East 50k this past summer but couldn’t run as I had surgery. My ultimate goal is to run a 100 miler in the next 2 years.
I love a good challenge and I would love this to be it. I love the community and the commitment of all the runners and mentors. In addition, I'm looking for a sport that I can continue as I grow older and other sports become harder to sustain.
I want to make myself proud. I serve traumatically bereaved military families for my job at a non-profit, and so much of myself Is given away to them. I don’t regret that - I love it - but I also want to show other bereaved military families what’s possible when you can actually care for yourself and make yourself - and your healing and strengthening - a priority.
I began running with the fantasy in mind of running an ultra. When I started out, and my runs were just a mile for those fleeting minutes I would imagine I'd really been running for hours and could run for hours more.
Because 26.2 miles go by pretty fast.
For the Challenge. I turn 50 next year and want to prove to myself, kids, and all the naysayers that anything is possible. That your never to old to start something new. Just need to get mentally tough and do it.
I love the unkown of the beauty that I will see and the terrain I will have to battle against. I live in chicago and all that I have to run and train on is our FLAT beautiful lakefront. There is a level of peace that comes over me once I step foot in the mountains. Ultras are more about the journey then the destination. And you can't help but have self reflection the further you get into the race.
I want to truly connect again...with something. After the military I lost connection with all the things that that made me who I was (being a soldier, athlete, world traveler, leader, etc.) I faced an identity crisis, and I don’t think I’ve completely overcome it. While I have remained successful professionally, personally I feel like I’m missing something. I think that something is the lack of excitement and fear, as well as focus, that comes with training for and attempting to do something that most people think is impossible. When I was scrolling through my newsfeed on Facebook this evening, I saw that the application is still open for Season 8 of Becoming Ultra, and when I saw that my heart started racing, and I got excited…just like I used to when I would set my mind toward large goals, knowing that if I committed myself to the process, and surrounded myself with a supportive community, I could accomplish them. So, an Ultra is now that large goal!
I am looking for a big challenge to test myself. I believe this would be an opportunity to push myself physically and mentally to find meaning and purpose.
I want to run a faster ultra, stuggled to relearn how to run correctly since my ankle surgery in 2015.
It's the one that is so appealing to me but I can't quite figure out how to wrap my mind around it. I would love to transition off of road races to trails.
I crave distance. The harder, the higher the drop out rate, the more races appeal to me.
I guess I'm a bit nutty.
I'm signed up and running two Ultras later this year for several reasons. Running for me is a meditation and a medicine. When I run I think clearly and am happy. I want to test my body and mind. I ran a marathon last year for the first time and thought I should at least be able to double the distance I ran last year. I love exploring new places and there is no better way to explore other than running. Just before last year I was not a runner and didn't understand why people liked running. My lifestyle at that time was a major contributor to my suffering. I knew I needed to change and thought I should set a challenging goal that would test me. The idea of running a marathon was overwhelming but I decided to take the initiative to sign up. In the process of training I learned a lot about myself. I became disciplined and learned to love running.
I've always secretly always wanted to try an ultra. I've done a few marathons, but I feel like they're getting more mainstream. I follow people on social media who do ultras and I'm always a little jealous of them. It's something I want to complete, but I'm not sure I'm motivated enough to just do one without someone or something pushing me to follow through.
I like to challenge myself, so the ultra distance is a natural progression. In addition, I will have completed PA school less than 2 months before the race. When I entered PA school I made the promise to myself to stay in shape and to continue to take care of myself and do the things I love. I have stayed true to that by maintaining a base mileage of about 20 miles a week but running an ultra would be an accomplishment that represents the culmination of this promise to myself.
Because ultras have found me
To show myself, and my five year old daughter that hard work, focus and passion allows you to do anything.
My husband is an Ultra runner and I have paced him on several runs. I have the passion to do one but training with him is frustrating because husbands and wives are not always good teammates but we are excellent cheerleaders.
I've rediscovered running by trail running and I like to do an ultra by the time. I turn 50
To challenge myself to get to the next level. Because trail running is what I have fallen in love with and it's feels like the natural progression, how much more can you do?
I was so excited when I ran my first half marathong. And as silly as it is, as I crossed the finish line, I teared up. It felt so BIG. So, of course, I immediately signed up for another. I have considered a full marathon, but I don't love road running quite as much as trails, so if I am going to spend 4+ hours running, I'd rather be on the trails. Having run some trail halfs, I feel intruiged about going further. I think I would be smart to start at a 50k. Maybe longer later, but the fact that this season is a 50k is extra appealing to me.
Since I ran my first marathon, I have really wanted to run an ultra. I love the challenge, I enjoy running and it's an achievement that I have listed as one of my life goals. The training will also force me into discipline to run a lot longer and more regularly than I am at present and I will appreciate that discipline. I also want to run an ultra specifically to manage my weight as I become older and to set an example to my children that achieving big, very challenging goals is possible through hard work and determination.
I used to say, "I would never run a marathon" and then I did it. I'm not sure its a superpower, but it truly makes me feel like I can handle anything life throws at me. In the training process I found I look forward to the long run. You see so much and have a great excuse to be outside.
I love the challenge it provides!!! I have always been an avid outdoors person, and love the feeling of doing things that most people will never do (or may not even understand). I also enjoy pushing myself and seeing what I can overcome and accomplish. YESBecause I want to challenge myself and see how far I can push my limits.
I like the challenge and beauty of trail races and the accountability that training plan brings. As a mom I don’t do a lot for myself so running an Ultra is a big dream and goal!
It has been on my bucket list for the last few years and I want to run one before I turn 50.
I have always been a hiker and backpacker but was very overweight and it was hard. I thought it made sense to combine my love of the forest with running... and my passion to be extreme led me to wanting to do an ultra
I DIPPED MY TOES IN THE TRAIL RUNNING AND I LIKE THE ADDED CHALLENGE. IM MORE OF A DISTANCE THAN SPEED.
My husband runs ultras and I love the community and mental strength it takes to run an Ultra.
I constantly am challenging my body and trying to push my limits further. It started with a half marathon in college and has progressively gotten further. A 50 miler (or 100 miler) seems like the next logical step in the process. Trail running has truly reinvigorated my love of running and every weekend all I want to do is get out into the mountains.
I have wanted to run an ultra for the last few years since I started learning more about ultras. I was backpacking on the Pinhote trail in Alabama one weekend and it happened to be during the Pinhote 100 trail race. Needless to say, I was impressed by how strong of climbers these runners were and wanted to be able to do anything close. I have been interested in fitness and nutrition for years and worked as a fitness trainer in the past as a side job. This was a way to increase my knowledge, help other people get healthier, and stay motivated to focus on my own health and fitness. I am now 50 years old but I look at age as just a number. No question that we slow down in various ways as we age, but I don’t want to be the person who cannot move around without help when I am 80 years old. I want to still be mobile, active, and fit. When I turned 45 years old I started saying to myself and others that my goal is to do “more and bigger” every year. I know you can’t do this forever but that doesn’t mean you don’t try. I started running more, biking more, lifting more, etc. One of my challenges was the GORUCK Challenge when I was 47. This was one of the hardest events I have ever done and it lasted 12 hours. I did a lot of training and performed reasonably well (we are our own worst critics I suppose), but I was really struggling in the last hour of the event. I had severe cramping in both calves but was determined to not quit and pull my weight in every way possible. This is just one of many never quit stories in my life, of which I feel there are many. I am not a person to overly brag on myself and I tend to downplay my accomplishments, but I guess you could say that my life story is one that has had many obstacles that I have had to overcome since I was a kid. I consider myself lucky in many respects because it has shaped me to be who I am and has given me a drive to fight and succeed when things get tough. So why do I want to run an ultra? It is not just for the personal achievement and to reach a goal, although that is certainly part of it. It is not just for building a stronger and more resilient body and health that will carry forward into my older years, although that is also part of it. I want to be an inspiration to my wife who works hard in her own right to be a better person every day. I want to be an example to so many people I see every day that are just marking time in life and letting life pass them by. I want to show them that although everybody does not have to run an ultra-marathon, they are capable of doing so much more. I want to show them that even though life is busy and they might think they don’t have time to work on themselves that in reality they don’t have time to waste in not focusing on their health and fitness. Even though my kids are of the furry type (Willie the trail dog and Gracie the cat), my wife and I are very busy with work and other responsibilities and have the same struggles. Also, I have a younger brother who is half my age and has always struggled with his weight and health. A couple years ago he got motivated and lost over a hundred pounds and was living a healthy lifestyle. He did so well, but he has let that slide and has put much of the weight back on. I want to hopefully be an inspiration to him to get back on track and focus on his health.
I need something to look forward to...I have had a rough adjustment moving to Ohio this year, and I want to be excited for something new. An Ultra is an amazing challenge and I want to take it on!
During the wildfire evacuation I found just how unhappy I had been when I was driven to get to Ironman Hawaii. During that time I only had a pair of runners and a few changes of clothes, but I found pure joy in being out running in the trails and leaving everything else behind. I saw places I would have never seen otherwise and worked through a lot of the stress and worry I had. If I had to pick a reason for an ultra, it would be to see new and exciting places and find just how deep the well goes, all the while giving it a good smile.
This is the first time I have ever given it any serious consideration. It was only a year ago that I bought my first dedicated pair of running shoes and signed up for my first race. My friend has completed several ultras and the way he talks about his experiences is incredibly inspiring. He is about 100,000 miles ahead of me but his encouraging words and advice has helped me see that I can do this. I want to do something incredible that few people in the world do. When the idea was first presented to me, I said “um, no.” Then I watched the video on Jules and I was persuaded to do it. Something about her story, being a role model for her daughters and community, resonated with me. She really made me believe I could do this. I am obsessed with the quote "Let me start with issuing you a challenge: Be better than you are. Set a goal that seems unattainable, and when you reach that goal, set another one even higher." It comes from Herb Brooks, the “Miracle on Ice” US Hockey coach. This is a goal that seems unattainable but I know that I can do it. My intrinsic motivation keeps me wanting to do more and be better.
So, I need to run many Ultras in my future because I have found the trails to be a very serene running environment. Running is my therapy, it was my saving grace. In 2005, after returning from my first deployment, I was raped by a fellow shipmate. I told no one and I had no one to turn to for fear of retaliation and losing credit for the work I had legitimately put in up to that point. I was paving my way and was doing well at learning my job and I couldn't let this incident that I was sure must have been my fault, undermine my ability and talent as a technician. I turned to running. Running allowed me to channel nthe emotional pain into physical pain so I could know how to handle it and make it ok. Running empowered me. I controlled how much I ran and if I would stop or not. I decided how my run would go and nobody could take my distances achieved away from me once I earned them. I just didn't have enough confidence in myself at the time to attempt anything greater than a 15k. I am progressing now though.
I see it as both a culmination of a journey I've been taking and the start of a new one for me. I read Born to Run in 2010 and in March I put on some running shoes and jogged around my neighborhood. It took me about 15 minutes to do that single mile. I was 39 and weighed 250 pounds, but that book and the people and races it described inspired me and helped me see that I could make a change. I thought "I want to run 50 miles before I turn 50." Over the following years I plodded away, eventually losing about 30 pounds, and occasionally joining a Ragnar team. However I never really made much progress toward that 50 before 50 goal. Not to get too personal at this point but in 2015 I found out that my wife of 12 years was having an affair. We have 3 kids (who are now 10, 9, and 6) and I did all that I could to try to keep my family together but it didn't work. Running became my escape and salvation from that since I was having a hard time finding much joy in anything else at the time. I focused on my running, exercising, and eating better and got down from 220 to 175 pounds. As my mileage and speed increased I started thinking about that 50 mile goal again. Now that I have almost a year since those events under my belt and my life back in order I want to make a real attempt at doing an ultra. I've joined a local trail running group and several of them have done ultras or are in training for one and that's making me even more excited. A lot has happened since that first mile, some good, like getting control of my health and body and some not so good. I kinda see doing an ultra as a way to put a cap on that period of my life. I ran my first mile in March of 2010 and it lead to an ultra in 2017. With that, the ultra would then be the first step in a new phase. I hope to look back in several more years and say I ran my first ultra in July of 2017 and now... (I have no idea, but can't wait to find out what it is)
This project has my biggest interest because I am big fan of the podcast. However, other than coaching received at track workouts (which is minimal), I've never had a formal coach. I've never followed a regimented workaround plan and I think it's perhaps time I gave it a shot. My current plan for my marathon is basically slowly increase my long run, do a track workout once a week, rest one day a week, do yoga 2-3 times a week, and run as many miles as I can otherwise. I've never attributed anything to running a certain distance (other than long runs) or time. I really like trail running and that seems conducive to doing do an ultra. I run trails all time and there are many near me. I will admit I mostly run a fire road, but do make it to the single track occasionally. I really need something to motive me. My marathon training is doing that pretty well, but this would motivate me more. I've run all sorts of races through the years. It's time to try something new. I am convinced I will not do an ultra ever unless I am picked.
I love running and want to push myself to new limits
I want to push my mental boundary out! After listening to your podcast and hearing you describe me as you described the athletes you'd like to coach I couldn't wait to put in my ap-I need the mental training the most-I'm very good at following a program and being accountable but i usually just pick any ole program someone shares and adapt it to me which is not ideal.
The mental and physical challenge appeals to me. I picked up trail running last year and it changed everything for me. I love the process of working towards a goal and pushing myself towards something big. I had planned to run my first 50k in September but everything changed with COVID and I also had a hamstring injury. I completed my first trail half last year and I felt so empowered and confident. I decided that I would conquer the 50K. I love how my accomplishments carry over into every aspect of my life and help me be a better person.
For the personal challenge of accomplishing a difficult challenge.
Ultras take more than talent, you have to have grit and a spirit that never dies. I know im not the fastest runner, but i have a great amount of mental toughness and I love challenging that. I love all of the people in the running community and the way everyone helps each other out. The beauty of getting lost on an amazing trail for hours is also a great perk to doing an Ultra.
I’ve run a couple marathons. Qualified for Boston and now Boston has been canceled twice. I worked really hard to qualify for Boston, training at a level I’d never done before with an infant and toddler and full time job. It was hard but exhilarating. Since moving to boulder and especially since covid, I’ve started running trails almost exclusively and absolutely love it. My brother ran the Leadville 100 in 2019 and I paced him through the last 20 miles. Of course that planted the seed for an Ultra. With Boston no longer scheduled for Sept, and no races on the horizon, why not try for an ultra now?
Why not?! To test my limits, take in inspiring natural terrain and run on and on
At 56 years of age, I have become fascinated by watching my fitness improve. Two years ago I was "Becoming Sedentary" (TM) but after two years of consistent training, using what I've learned reading and following iFit trainers, I'm now convinced that, as Kipchoge says, no human is limited. I'm exploring boundaries and Ultra is where I want badly to go!
Because it's hard. I live a comfortable life in a middle-class bubble of privilege. Yet everyday in my job running a suicide prevention program I ask people going through the toughest moments of their life to hang on and push through the grief and loss and tragedy. I think it's important to do hard things in life because it builds resiliency and provides growth. I need a good dose of that.
I've been fasinated with Ultra's since I started running. I know I'm not fast, but I feel like I have a grit that keeps me going no matter what.
I have accomplished two graduate degrees and I pioneered becoming a mountain bike journalist and mtb editor at VeloNews to cover international racing. But I have never successfully finished my own athletic dreams. I believe ultras are a special calling harking back to the very evolution of homo sapiens. I love running on trails more than I ever loved mountain biking on them, and that is because there seems to be a spiritual response to rhythmically placing your feet on mother earth. I feel ultras have a unique, intensive, and even divine calling for me, and that I will discover something very important in them. That's why I want to run an Ultra. Also, I'm a published poet, and running and training make their way into my poetry. To me, that's significant.
I want to run an Ultra because I want to push my mental and physical limits past what I think they are. Watching people complete Ultras and stick with the sport for so many years is so inspiring. I’m just in pure awe of the raw physicality and mentality people have to be able to endure such a long distance of running.
It's on my bucket list to run an Ultra. I've never thought of myself as someone who could do such a thing, and would love to prove myself wrong.
The challenge and to kick off getting back to running and a healthy lifestyle.
To challenge myself with the window of great fitness I have or will have.
I don't know, cuz I'm fucking crazy.
I’ve always had the goal of running ultras. But I’ve always trained myself & I think I need help to run my first ultra and learn all I can. I have big running bucket list. ☺️
I have run for well over half my life and it has always kept me grounded, reaching for more and in touch with my body. In high school, I ran for a super tiny school and it was my ultimate goal to get to compete on a Division I team that also had a nursing school. No one from my high school had ever gone DI, and it consumed my life. Once I was at that level, I had a coach that didn't particularly listen to her athletes (more than 50 percent of the team was injured at any given time) and didn't foster a very positive environment amongst the ladies. I was injured a total of 8/12 seasons (cross, indoor, outdoor), and the experience decimated my love for running. It turned into a purely masochistic activity that lead to self-loathing. It took me a year to two to rediscover the joy that exists in throwing your hair in a pony tail, driving to the mountains and just going. One of my best friends got really into ultras, placing 8th at the Sonoma 50 miler. Watching him take on the mountains and tackle so many miles every day just blew my mind and has intrigued me ever since. Being in the woods for hours, listening to podcasts, finding a rhythm in the earth and doing that with others has always been a goal of mine. In the trail races I have completed since college there has always been an ultra component to them. I have been pleasantly shocked by the manner in which runners support each other as opposed to compete against each other in that environment. I also have been in awe of Kelly Wolf's rise into the ultra world. We raced each other in middle school and seeing where she is training and competing now has left me wanting nothing more than to get my foot in the door!I do worry about injury, which is what has kept me from signing up for one thus far!
I want to run an ultra because I think it is important to set goals that feel out of reach at times or goals that really require sacrifice and serious hard work. I think incorporating these goals into something we love is the best way to grow as a person! As much as this would be a personal progression of running, it would push me to release control and have faith in what I cannot see or touch but only feel. I simply love running, it brings me the most joy. Running is a crucial and integral part of who I am as a person and my day. I run because I love it... Finally, I think it’s important for my 4 kids SEE their mom set big goals and work really hard to meet them. I want them to see how hard work pays off, even as a 37 year old adult. This is something they can identify with as they are constantly a part of my conversation about running. I hope they will see that setting big goals that might be extreme is ok!
Because it sounds hard and also awesome.
November 30, 2016 I turn 50 and I'd signed up for a 50k but really wanted to do a 50 mile run for my 50th birthday but wasn't sure I could do it on my own.
A few primary reasons - first, I don't like limits, and I'm extremely curious about pushing myself and finding that next boundary. Running with RWB I am surrounded by folks who refuse to accept limitations, which is a huge source of inspiration. I also want to continue to find ways to show my kids that results require work.
I love challenging races and hope to do the race across the sky in Colorado soon.
Because deep down I know that I can.
I want to find out how far I can go and how much my body can take
Because I've never done anything that would even come close to this sort of physical accomplishment. Because I have four sons and want them to understand that the impossible IS possible.
I think it's a life changing experience of endurance.
I want to run an Ultra because I want to see what I am capable of. I want to show my daughter that anything is possible if your want it/try hard enough.
because I don't see my self in Boston, but more so at the top of some mountain running. I think I have the endurance and the ability to recover quickly that will push me forward.
I have really want to do an ultra and push my limits. I have experienced a lot of personal growth and refreshment in running. This would help me personally grow.
It is my next big challenge, feels too big, but I know I can do it
Ever since training for the ironman, I have wanted to run trails and have had a desire to race an ultra race to see what my potential is in running.
