While Out Running: On Barkley, Barriers, and Endurance
I’ve had a lot on my mind during my runs over the last few weeks. Running, riding, and hiking are always great avenues for thinking. There’s something about physical activity outside that gets the mind moving. A multi-hour detox from screens probably helps, too.
I had a lot on my mind leading up to my Zone 3 Hill Interval workout mid-week, and in my freneticism to get out of the door after work, I forgot my AirPods. I usually run with some background entertainment, but it was a welcome change of pace to focus more deeply on my breath and the straining of my muscles. I’m getting closer to my first race of the year and have been incorporating more high-intensity work, so it was an excellent opportunity to really feel the difference between a zone 1 or 2 effort and a zone 3 effort.
On my cooldown, and for much of this past week, I thought about Barkley. Conditions were good for the race this year, and for the first time ever, there were five finishers. Jasmin #smalleuropeanwoman Paris became the first female finisher, and Jared Campbell and John Kelly each finished yet again.
I’m sure there are many contributing factors to the remarkable increase in finishers over the last few years. I have to wonder if the most powerful is that more people now know they can finish. Times are getting faster, and records are falling throughout the ultra world. A few weeks ago, Camille Herron ran 560 miles over the course of 6 days, setting 10 world records in the process. Just under a year ago, Candice Burt decided that 200 straight 50k+ runs was enough and opted to cool down with a marathon instead. Kilian Jornet and Courtney Dauwalter are even money to break a world record any time they toe the starting line.
Everywhere you look, somebody’s doing something unprecedented in the ultra world. As barrier after barrier falls, it makes pushing back easier when your body’s central governor says enough is enough. Just a few more steps…I can endure a bit longer…
kyle wurtz 