I came across this article in the Duluth News Tribune yesterday and knew I needed to share it.
Rob Henderson (Minneapolis) quit smoking five years ago and needed a hobby – he found running. Not long after he stumbled upon ultrarunning…and he got sucked in š
Fast forward to 2019 and Rob decided to give a 350-mile foot race along the famous Iditarod course in Alaska a try for the first time. Not only did he complete this grueling challenge, he ended up being the first runner to cross the finish line!
There’s something about taking on a big challenge, one that might not even be possible, and giving it a try! While I haven’t attempted a 350-mile race, training for and participating in last fall’s Superior 50 miler was something I wasn’t sure I could actually do. But after completing the 50 miles of brutal, yet amazing Superior Hiking Trail terrain, I felt a sense of accomplishment that can not be explained.
So if you’re on the fence about trying something you have been eyeing up for years, or a challenge that pops up spontaneously, I encourage you to go after it! And even if you don’t accomplish your goal of finishing in a certain time (or finishing at all), at least you tried! You will come out the other end of experiences like that a better person, no matter the result.
A couple quotes from the article I enjoyed:
“I think to be successful, the No. 1 thing that you have to have is just a positive outlook. If you’re someone who kind of gets in that negative downward spiral when you’re thinking about things or looking at things and thinking you can’t do it, or it’s too far or I’ll never be able to get there in time ā it just makes things so much harder. If you can just put a smile on your face and not worry about things and enjoy where you’re at.”
“It’s just spectacular ā words really can’t describe, as a Midwestern kid going through a mountain pass … it’s awe-inspiring when you don’t grow up around that. Everything just feels so big. I don’t think I’ll forget that anytime soon.”