My love of the unknown is what led me to run longer distances. I had the burning desire to answer the question “Can I physically do this?” This year makes 10 years of running ultras for me. Turning thirty has sparked my desire to run a 100 again. In less than two weeks I will be attempting Luis Escobar's Born to Run 100 in Santa Barbara. The last 100 I attempted to run, 7 years ago I tried to run hard. I knew I could complete the distance so the question "How hard can I do this?" was my motivation. I found out that it wasn't very fun to run 100 miles hard and I lost interest(gave up) at mile 91. In those 7 years I have grown and learned a great deal. Over the past 7 years, health has been the goal. Running every day for no other reason than to feel good and be healthy has been my motive. I think i'm ready for the mile 70 freight train that will be coming at me head on.
I turned 30 on April 6th and wanted to go for a big run to mark crossing the threshold. The burliest run I could think of was from sea to summit. I started at the hazy salty edge of Hilo Bay and ran up up up 14,700ft. to the snow covered summit of Mauna Kea. The run was about 42 miles in length. I was lucky enough to be supported by Amy and Lila along the way. They met up with me several times along the way offering water, food, and plenty of laughs. Amy's love and support makes me feel like the luckiest man alive! I took my time, stopping a few times for extended picnic breaks. I felt pretty amazing all day, I think I have finally figured out the whole nutrition thing. It's only taken 10 years to stop being purposely stubborn.
I have also learned how to be balanced. I'm not limping around from running too many miles. It feels good to have balanced: work, family time and adventuring. I feel so lucky to have Volcanoes National Park in my backyard. At 4,000ft. the empty fern lined trails are dreamlike. The only thing missing in Volcano is a brewpub and a cozy coffee shop. I'm looking forward to the ups and downs of running 100 miles. That type of deep introspection creates a real sense of wonder and a lust for life. I think of it as a rite of passage, a lifetime in a single day.
"The fool knows what is about to happen and knows his ignorance results from that knowledge."
"Every year during the month of March a family of ragged gypsies would set up their tents near the village, and with a great uproar of pipes and kettledrums they would display new inventions. First they brought the magnet. A heavy gypsy with an untamed beard and sparrow hands, who introduced himself as MelquÃades, put on a bold public demonstration of what he himself called the eighth wonder of the learned alchemists of Macedonia...." - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
