For Christmas I got an awesome gift. A Banjo. Well, yes, I got a banjo, but I also got a fantastic book. "Ultra Marathon Man" by Ultra-Marathoner Dean Karnazes. For those who don't know about Karnazes, he is the standard in fitness and endurance. He's completed (and WON) everything from Badwater to the Western States 100 Endurance Run, some of the most extreme and challenging races in the world. Hell, the guy also ran a marathon to the South Pole (as in, he was in the south pole, and then ran a marathon... maybe I won't complain the next time it's only 50 degrees outside). Anyway, back to the book. It's an autobiography about how he got his start in ultra running, and what inspired him to compete in some of the events he has. Probably one of the most inspiring books I have ever read. Which takes me to the whole point of this post.
After reading how someone has pushed themselves to the absolute limit, and still found the strength to take another step, is something that I want to try. Don't get me wrong, a marathon is great. It's a chance to show what you're made of, and to learn your limits; that being said, I'm ready for something new. That's why I'm excited that starting in 2011, I'm giving up training solely for marathons, and am going to start higher endurance runs. Running from point A to point B, where point A is one side of town, and point B is the top of a mountain 20+ miles away. I want to see how far I can push myself... and then take another step.
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