Give It a Chance

"I have this life philosophy that if you do something, think something, or feel something, other people probably do too. So many times, we are cautious about admitting those things because we are afraid of what others may think. But human beings are pretty similar in many ways."

"Going into the Canyons 100k, I was in pursuit of both a Golden Ticket for Western States 100 and a UTMB qualification. What I would do if I managed to collect both was to be determined, but for the time being, chasing these coveted spots seemed like a good goal."

"For me, the thoughts that felt most valuable were not so much those that arose mid-race, but the ones that I had leading into and out of it. To understand these thoughts, it helps to know a bit of backstory."

"In a typical race report, perhaps this is the part where I'd tell you about all of the psychological weapons that I used during the race. There's value in questions like: What was your mantra when things got hard? How did you summon the motivation to keep going? What drives you? But if these are the only questions that we ask, we are leaving money on the table."

A runner and his wife travel to California for the 2026 Canyons 100k with uncertainty about how the experience will unfold. He believes people often share similar thoughts and feelings, but he chooses not to write a conventional blow-by-blow race report. His focus is psychological rather than narrative detail. He aims to earn both a Golden Ticket for Western States 100 and a UTMB qualification, after missing an earlier attempt at Tarawera 100k due to a knee issue. He notes that common questions about mantras and motivation during hardship can miss important opportunities. He emphasizes that the most useful thoughts are those formed before and after the race, supported by personal backstory.

Read at iRunFar