Five Lessons from Running a 50 Mile Race

In January of 2019, I called my wife from an airport hotel and excitedly told her about my acceptance into a 50 mile trail race (to which she lovingly called me crazy). The race would be September 7th and is known for being one of the toughest in the country with over 25,000 of elevation change. I knew it would be hard, but I was also excited to push myself to the limits.

Below are five lessons I learned during my journey to becoming a 50 mile race finisher. Though these happened in preparation for and during the race, these can also happen to anyone in everyday life.

1.Success comes when no one else is looking. It felt like I'd just gone to bed! But, I heard the unmistakable sound of my alarm going off at 3 AM, letting me know it was time to get my ass out of bed and start running. Slowly I rolled out of bed, had a quick bite to eat, and was on the road by 3:25 for a 20 miler.

Without those long training runs, success would have been extremely difficult. At 3:30 in the morning, it's you and an occasional car (a couple times I came across an unsuspecting person walking their puppy). Otherwise, there's no one there watching. It's just you out there by yourself, putting in the work.

2. Don't let setbacks slow you down. My left knee went from being a little sore to not being able to walk in just 12 short hours. I'd never felt a pain like this. So, off to the doctor I went. Thankfully, it was only a "severe strain" and not a tear. Bad news was, no running for 4 weeks.

I was bummed I couldn't run. However, there were other exercises I could do. Biking, rowing and some strength exercises were my new go-to for staying in shape. When I was cleared to run again, my knee was actually stronger than before. Even though I was dealt a setback, I found a way to keep going and came out ahead.

3. Learn from someone who's done it before. I usually wear a size 12 or 12.5 shoe. As the saleswoman was showing me trail running shoes, she said to go at least a half size larger because at some point, your feet will swell and need the extra room. At mile 41 on race day, I was happy I listened to her.

No matter what you're going to do, someone has probably done it before (or at least something very similar). Sometimes you need to seek these people out and ask for advice. Other times, as with the saleswoman who helped me, you just happen to meet them. In any case, learn from others. Their advise can only help you.

4. Find others to help you along the way. Race day. I toed the start line at 5:15 AM with 198 other crazy people. The gun went off and away we went! As the miles ticked by, the pack thinned out. Pretty soon, I found myself running with a group of six others. For at least 15 miles, we gave each other encouragement and motivation. Near the end, we started singing to keep our minds off the pain creeping into different areas of our bodies. Fifteen hours after starting, we crossed the finish line together!

No matter how hard you work, it's not easy to be successful by yourself. On your path to success, find others who share the same vision as you and become an unstoppable team. You'll be amazed what you can accomplish together.

5. Kiss the wolf. At the finish line, there was a large wolf carved out of wood. It's tradition for finishers to cross the line, get their medal, and kiss the wolf. Why put your lips on a piece of wood countless of others already have? Celebration!

When you accomplish something, whether it a huge milestone or a small win, celebrate! Acknowledge the accomplishment. Celebrate as a team because you all did it together. Celebrate in your head something great happened. Kiss the wolf!

I don't recommend everyone run a 50 mile race. Run your own race. The path to success can be long with setbacks. But, it can be achieved by seeking advice and help from others. Whatever race you run, I wish you nothing but success. Good Luck and don't forget to "kiss the wolf"!!

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