Dear Brooks,
I saw you at the Black Hills 100 finish line. Hands raised, fists clinched, and cheering at the top of your lungs. The excitement on your face melted my heart. Shiny belt buckles, high fives, and that finish line rush might seem like the best part, but it’s not about the finish. I know what you are thinking, then why would Grandpa run 100 miles?
It’s not about the finish, it’s about the growth. Twenty-seven hours and 27 minutes may seem like a non-consequential amount of time, but traversing the Black Hills from Sturgis to Silver City and back will change you. Both as an ultra-runner and as a person. Jake always asks me three questions after a race:
1. What went well?
2. What do you need to improve on?
3. What was your biggest takeaway?
Reflecting on your experience will help you improve and reinforce why you went on the adventure in the first place.
It’s not about the finish, it’s about the camaraderie. During a recent conversation I was asked “Do you need a crew?” The technical answer (depending on the race) is “no”. The right answer is “Hell yes!” Surround yourself with people you respect, make you better, and are a lot of fun.
Rod, Jake, Brett and Cody are my boys. We talk trash, but when shit needs to get done, it gets done. Having them by my side allowed me to:
Hug my dad (the man who has been helping me achieve my goals for the past 43 years) at the start line.
Smile as the moon rose in the middle of nowhere. Cody (one of the best hunters I know) rambled on and on about one of his two favorite subjects, and I just soaked it all in. At that point in time I knew I was right where I was supposed to be.
Be humble, as Jake (who swam the English Channel) coached me at aid stations, instilled confidence, and got me moving as the sun brought new light to the day. I’d run around the world to share one mile with Jake.
Push that final mile with Brett (RMAC Coach of the Year). I stowed my trekking poles, gave Brett the nod, it was go time! I had already ran 105 miles, but I made the last mile my best.
It’s not about the finish, it’s about doing hard things. The hard thing about hard things…is they are hard.
It’s hard to train in the freezing weather in January.
It’s hard to endure the the strong winds of March.
It’s hard to wake up early on a business trip and get miles in.
It’s hard to run on a nice day when you would rather be fishing.
It’s hard to be consistent and stick with a training program.
It’s hard to sleep the night before the race with the question “Did I Do Enough” going through your mind.
It’s hard to keep pushing when your body says stop.
It’s hard to run 106 miles and place 14th at the Black Hills 100…
But out of hard things comes the best version of yourself, so pursue the difficult. And most importantly, enjoy the run.
Love Grandpa
