How running 100km changed my life.

Dramatic sounding, maybe.

But true.

My first 100km experience didn’t exactly go to plan (much like a lot of longer distance races) and I am so grateful it didn't .

Running, well hobbling, through the night was both terrifying and gave me the biggest dose of clarity. I should not have been there, I should have been finished hours before but made the decision early on that we were throwing out the schedule to avoid sunstroke and just focussing on getting to the finishing line.

But there I was.

In the pitch black, surrounded by cows (which by the way was the worst part) not sure I was going the right way. I had bandaged up my foot with my running buff because a blister had popped so spectacularly I had a split right down the middle.

10k to the next check point.

And my head torch was dying and I couldn’t find my spare batteries.

Shit.

“Imma keep running ‘cos winners don’t quit on themselves”

an epic lyric from Beyonce at just the right moment.

Glance up.

2 shooting stars right over head.

All alone, in the pitch black and suddenly the most calm I had felt all day.

And that is why I am so passionate about people taking on challenges they aren’t sure if they can do. Most people do not have those moments. Where things are hard but they find the magic and keep going. They don’t challenge themselves and prove to themselves they can do hard stuff.

In the real world we avoid it.

We let ourselves quit

I know I have!

But there was zero options that night.

No one was coming to save me. It was just me, my backpack and Beyonce getting us to the finish line.

When you finish something that is a big challenge

(I should stress here that it is not going to be 100km for everyone, it might be doing your first park run or a hike up Nicky Nook - its all relative)

You give your brain undeniable proof you can do hard stuff

that you can dig in when its uncomfortable

and that is a skill you can apply anywhere

that can legitimately change your life.