Living your best life – lessons from an Ultrarunner

How is life? Are you finding what you want? Are things in your life finely tuned to having the best possible experience?

Nearly 30 years ago while working as a new Emergency Medical Technician for a local fire department I met an amazing man who gave me a powerful lesson in how to live. I was young, “green”, fresh, naïve, and impressionable. This man was a seasoned Engineer I worked with on one of the fire crews. He was quiet and unassuming. I heard through the grapevine that he was an elite athlete. This was from other exceptionally fit people that spoke highly of him and held him in high esteem for his self-discipline, commitment and humility. This gentleman had completed the “Pike’s Peak Ultra 50 Mile Race” in Colorado which is essentially a footrace up the mountains on crushed granite to an elevation of 14,115 feet.

This remarkably fit man stood out as exceptional amongst a group of professional firefighters. His face from the neck up was rather unremarkable, yet his body from the neck down was lean, toned, and built for running long distances for hours on end. His legs were like the drive wheels on a large locomotive. He carried no extra weight anywhere on his body. His form followed its function. This was not an accident or a fluke of luck. This was the byproduct of years of disciplined training and adherence to a strict diet.

During our new employee training we were encouraged to learn and to ask questions in an open, positive learning environment. During training I recall hearing, “There is no stupid question.” One day I had the chance to talk this exceptionally fit co-worker and ask him a little bit about his passion and this sport which I knew nothing about. “When you run, do you zone-out or go into a trance?” I was beyond curious about his technique. He replied, “Oh no! I do exactly the opposite. I enter a state of hyper-awareness and attunement to my body. I am watching where my next step is going to be and having an awareness of my energy level and concentration. If I ignored my shorts rubbing on my thigh- after 50 miles of running and rubbing, it would wear a hole in my leg!”

I was fascinated and blown away that his response was EXACTLY the opposite of what I thought it would be and this was not the least of it, either. I had so many questions. What was his fuel? Of course, he ate well- really well. He also began the run well hydrated, several days before the race. He entered well-rested and well-prepared from his hours of training and positive pre-race mindset.

You might be asking, “How does this relate to me? I have no desire to run, let alone be an elite one, at that.” Yes, I understand. I had no desire even back then when I was younger and had frame of reference either. But this ultra-dedicated athlete’s grit and focus offers the opportunity for self- reflection. Are you living your life “in a trance” or are you “zoned out”? Are you attuned to your body, your mind, your spirit, and those important relationships in your life that require nurturing?

I encourage you to take lessons from this Ultrarunner. Are you eating well? Are you sleeping well? Are you well hydrated? Are you overeating? Are you consuming too much alcohol? Are you disconnected from your important social relationships and friends? Slight changes over time can make an enormous impact. Also, accept and realize that perfection is a myth. If everything is “good” in your life- celebrate this and keep doing what you have been doing. If things are not going well, that is okay. Life can take us down roads that we didn’t see coming. If you would like to explore a different direction or path, I encourage you to reach out to me… We can have this conversation.