Simplicity
This week in Mental Athletic magazine, I read an article by Dakota Jones reflecting and reminiscing on the performance of a skinny, long blonde haired mountain athlete named Kyle Skaggs in the 2008 Hardrock 100. Skaggs was a shy phenom, training massive volume, living at altitude and that year, broke what many thought was the impossible…24hrs through thin air He not only broke it, he shattered the record, all the while in a pair of shorts, shirtless carrying only a hand held bottle and a windbreaker stuffed in his belt. This got me thinking….
Ultra running, in my opinion, like life over the last decade or so, has got FAR too complicated. Insurance, gear, hi-vis vests, grams per hour, sweat tests, carbon shoes etc now dominate the majority of conversation around training and racing. I am OVER it.
However, in full transparency, I have also at times gotten caught up in the hype, and at times it is warranted. Its probably not ideal going into a 100miler without some sort of nutrition plan. I have spent far too much time lately though, fretting over the right pack, what shoes should I wear, what gear do I need, and its all nonsense. Fluff. Not what this sport was built upon.
Dakota in the article talks about taking on Handies, a 14k foot monster in Skaggs fashion. It went significantly sideways however he walked away from the experience richly rewarded and with a ripper story to boot.
When I look back at my idols, Anton circa late 2007-10ish, Skaggs, Jurek, Jen Shelton etc…. all of these characters ran with no real strategy, just heart, common sense, a hell of a lot of k’s under their minimally shod feet and a desire to push themselves in the mountains. A massive slug of water, a handful of lollies, a cookie and on your way. There was no mathematical equations or VO2 max testing within co-ee. Just skinny, deeply bronzed tanned bodies, athleticism beyond and a mind to dominate. Purity.
Maybe it is just my age and the fact that I have been in the sport for nearly two decades, but I find myself increasingly cynical as to the state of our sport. Mandatory kit as long as both my arms put together (thermals for races in QLD, really?!), rules, tech, poles…DISTRACTION. I have said for years, why not have a ‘suggested list’ for new comers and everyone sign a waiver that if we don’t take the suggested gear we run at our own risks?! Wow, personal responsibility, how dare I!? Having raced Leadville in the US and there being no qualification races OR mandatory gear, this high altitude race suggests what to take and leaves it up to the runner. Sometimes their ‘amendments’ win out. We have quickly moved away from the foundations of why we ultra trail run in the mountains. Rebellion, freedom, suffering, nature, clean air, feeling the ground, risk, being self reliant, the desire to be a renegade. If we didn’t desire these things we would have taken up road running or triathlon which is the exact opposite of where we begun.
So, why are we…and I allowing these things in? To appease Race Directors, insurance companies and to make ourselves as comfortable as possible? There was a time when black toenails were a badge of honor, where as now a little chafe due to an ill fitting pack or pole rub seems to be a reason to DNF. Come on now.
I call for a return to the roots. I personally need to quit with the nonsense, not that I have got too caught up in it all, and return to where I begun. A pair of short, basic footware, drinking when thirsty, eating when hungry and running a tonne of k’s per week. What would happen if we paid our race fee (keep the directors happy), made an educated decision on what we might need for the particular race and just ran. Disqualification for not having a bandaid in your kit? Who cares? Continue to run the race anyway! Be self sufficient and cover the distance. I guarantee you will have the same feeling of satisfaction if you get a medal or not! We run on public land, not closed roads. No one can stop you. Unless I am running a race to qualify for something else (a topic of further discussion also) who cares if your name is not printed on a website. We should be running for personal gratification not some glory board. Lets re-focus on the why not the who we are aiming to please.
So, I rant. I am not completely opposed to progress clearly, I just feel so many of us are missing the point. Ultra running is not a fashion show, pissing contest, ego fueled or way to get likes on Social Media. It is a deeply personal, liberating, spiritual practice we can do with VERY little. Use your brain, smash your legs and free your mind…thank me later. Consistency + Commitment