Running For The Fear Of It

When I started trail running some 3 years ago I wasn't a runner. I went to gym 3 times a week and that was it.  One day I picked up the Mens Health Magazine and read an article about the Old Fishermans Trail Challenge. This looked like fun. The next day I was out the door and started to train.  I had 5 months to train for a 22km trail run and didn't know the slightest thing about running.

My main motivation was the fear of not finishing. The fear of having to miss the cut off or just being physically unable to go any further.  I was never planning on running again after the OFTC. But! The bug bit me and I kept on running. 

2009 rolled around and I decided to take part in the Three Peaks Challenge.  Never having run more than 22km's the 50km pain fest was a huge step.  Again, the fear of not finishing forced me out of bed on dark icy winter mornings into the mountains.  I accomplished the task at hand and had an empty feeling for weeks after the event.  I got rid of that feeling by entering the Addo 85km trail run in May 2010.  It was a frantic, fear filled couple of months leading up to the event.  I finished 5th and was ultimately hooked on ultra running and the challenge of the unknown!

2011 has come around and I have no real BIG plans to conquer.  And this is leaving me with very little motivation to get out the door and put in the hard sessions.  There is no fear of the unknown, fear of the challenge, fear of disappointing people. What is present is the fear of failing one self, letting the fitness drift and throwing away all the hours of training. The fear of having missed hours with loved ones for nothing.

It is at this junction that respect for the challenge and for one self, respect for the support system around us must be feared. Because without a cause and without support we are NOTHING!