There's something about inspiring stories. Whether they encourage you to go above and beyond what you think you can do, or just give you a new perspective on humanity, they change you. Yesterday I took the time to watch the documentary about a group of three men who decided to take on the challenge of running across the Sahara Desert, and end up in the Red Sea.
A friend of mine suggested this a while back, and I finally got around to watching it while I was on the trainer yesterday. I was able to find it on Netflix and spent just under two hours riding and becoming inspired. The movie didn't inspire me to go running through some exotic locations, but it gave me a different perspective on what and why endurance athletes do what they do.
"Endurance athletes are running away from something inside of themselves, and that's one of the reasons they do what they do." -Lance Armstrong
I think this quote rings true about these three men, and of so many endurance athletes that are always looking for more. Whether it be getting faster, or going further. Two of these men battled to get away from a partying lifestyle with alcohol and drugs. And I think that's such a key point to nail down on so many endurance junkies. It's an addiction.
I've been pondering on this point for a while now, and have come to the realization that this is 100% true. Whether I'm on the bike, running, swimming, or even when I would be out skiing, I never want it to end. The euphoria that comes to a junkie while they're training is indescribable to anyone that hasn't experienced it. And the guys in this film all have the bug.
For me, the part of the film that was most inspiring was when Kevin Lin, an elite athlete, was on the brink of giving up. He, a well-known and celebrated marathoner in Taiwan, came ever so close to leaving the expedition. That was a shock to me, then watching the two other average guys, having to talk the elite runner back into the journey. Kevin was ready to pack it up and go home, when faced with the realization of the dangers that lie ahead if they weren't granted access into Libya. Both Ray and Charlie were able to talk Kevin back into running, and finishing the journey with them. And I think the key point was Charlie telling Kevin to think about the amount of regret he would be faced with if he dropped out of the race. This was the moment that really brought the group together, and solidified them as a family, more than just a group of friends. This was their journey.
Watching these three men go through so many emotions. On the brink of giving up, losing hope, being away from loved ones for over a hundred days, they somehow made it through. They weren't running fast, but the sheer amount of miles they put in was truly mind-boggling. On average they were going through two marathons a day, day after day after day. For some people, one marathon is enough. But for these three, the Sahara was their goal, and they conquered it.
In the end, I think Ray summed up the psyche the three of them shared, and something that every endurance athlete should ask themselves. You need to ask yourself what your goals are. If you put parameters and limits on what you can achieve, that's all you can do. If you're only going to run a 5k or 10k, that's all you'll do. The mind is so powerful. Yes, you do have physical limitations, but the key contributor to what you can achieve is truly all mental. These three guys set their sights high, and almost didn't believe in themselves. But between them, they were able to stomach up enough mental strength to keep going, keep pushing and accomplish their goal.
So when you're out training and setting goals for the coming season and thinking about what you can and can't do, just remember that what you can accomplish is mostly in your mind. If you believe you can do it, you can. Put your plan in motion and execute, and eventually you'll get there.
-Dave
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