Runaway Success: Life Lesson from Ultra Endurance Racing
I thought to give you an excerpt from my book that reflects the
success emotions felt at the end of a race, much like life.
"Picture the quintessential adventurer and Herculean pictures come to mind: a strapping man or sculptured woman standing wind-blown against the elements, fearless in defying insurmountable odds, pushing their bodies to the precarious edges of peril – all to realise a lofty dream. This portrayal smacks of conquest, of heroism, of grand ambition, of extra-human feats, of a prodigious commitment to larger-than-life ideals. While those elements are present, they do not tell the complete story.
"In a bid to feel alive, I have thrown myself over more than a few edges –that is, the edges of airplanes. On every single jump I have scared myself silly. But nothing can describe the sense of exhilaration that washes over me every single time I land safely under my parachute. That one time when I came crashing down at high speed onto the tarmac of an airport runway and miraculously escaped with a relatively light punishment of six months on crutches gave rise to an even more heightened appreciation of life. I have also bungee-jumped, quad-biked, wake-boarded,
sand-boarded, snow-boarded, kite-surfed and whitewater-rafted. I loved all those rip-roaring moments of pushing myself to the extreme.
"But those were mere thrills, short-lived moments of adrenaline-pumping rushes. Dissatisfied, I sought something more lasting. Taking the plunge into desert footracing, I put myself further on the edge of survival and pushed the envelope of performance. To blend mind and body and take myself into a world less trodden, that is what adventure is about. It is the curiosity to see the other side of what if, to peer into a deeper understanding of self. As a line goes in Die Another Day, a spy film in the James Bond series, “It is only by being on the edge that we know who we really are.” The body lends itself as a vehicle, the hardware that complements the software – the mind. And over the course of the gruelling journey, the heartware is revealed.
"Finishing produces none of the dramatic climaxes or dizzying intensity associated with most other sports. The sight of delirious fans jumping off their seats or cheering spectators lining the streets is conspicuously absent. There are no rapturous celebrations and no one in the stands to witness our finest moment of accomplishing something great
and magnificent. There is neither blood rush to the head nor heady heart
thumping, neither guttural roar nor primal scream. Peeling off these outer
layers uncovers the core of our experience. Our epiphany lies understanding, appreciation and respect. We gain a genuine understanding that the true rewards come not in receiving a medal but in staying present in the 'now' moment. We develop an honest appreciation of the strength of the human spirit and the true powers that lie within every individual. We acquire a heartfelt respect for all that life has to offer and for the selflessness of fellow human beings in sharing a special brotherhood and camaraderie.
"British competitor Diego Carvajal reflects on how his enjoyment lay in letting the experience be the prize: “I know it sounds so cliché, but it’s surprising how despite the pain of my knee, the heat, the sand, the hills and how hard each of these races are…just how much I miss them when I come home and how much I miss the simplicity of it all and remember only the good points.”
"Singaporean Vanessa Tan echoes his sentiment, “Every day I look back at the experience and smile. I cannot remember the heat and the tiredness very well. But I do remember the feeling of empowerment upon reaching each campsite and the crazy laughs we had… I remember
the thousands of stars above me as I brushed my teeth each morning… I remember the feeling of peace as I turned my head to admire the soft smooth dunes around me. 250 kilometres later, I have made many friends and I know that inside, I am a new person."
"This process of self-discovery is coupled closely with finding an inner calmness. That, then, is the essence, the reward, and the heart of adventure: not a dramatic climax that demands to be fed, but an inner peace.
Peace is the outcome of adventure."
Page 172, Runaway Success: Life
Lessons from Ultra Endurance Racing
By Thaddeus Lawrence 2012 http://www.therunawaysuccess.com
success emotions felt at the end of a race, much like life.
"Picture the quintessential adventurer and Herculean pictures come to mind: a strapping man or sculptured woman standing wind-blown against the elements, fearless in defying insurmountable odds, pushing their bodies to the precarious edges of peril – all to realise a lofty dream. This portrayal smacks of conquest, of heroism, of grand ambition, of extra-human feats, of a prodigious commitment to larger-than-life ideals. While those elements are present, they do not tell the complete story.
"In a bid to feel alive, I have thrown myself over more than a few edges –that is, the edges of airplanes. On every single jump I have scared myself silly. But nothing can describe the sense of exhilaration that washes over me every single time I land safely under my parachute. That one time when I came crashing down at high speed onto the tarmac of an airport runway and miraculously escaped with a relatively light punishment of six months on crutches gave rise to an even more heightened appreciation of life. I have also bungee-jumped, quad-biked, wake-boarded,
sand-boarded, snow-boarded, kite-surfed and whitewater-rafted. I loved all those rip-roaring moments of pushing myself to the extreme.
"But those were mere thrills, short-lived moments of adrenaline-pumping rushes. Dissatisfied, I sought something more lasting. Taking the plunge into desert footracing, I put myself further on the edge of survival and pushed the envelope of performance. To blend mind and body and take myself into a world less trodden, that is what adventure is about. It is the curiosity to see the other side of what if, to peer into a deeper understanding of self. As a line goes in Die Another Day, a spy film in the James Bond series, “It is only by being on the edge that we know who we really are.” The body lends itself as a vehicle, the hardware that complements the software – the mind. And over the course of the gruelling journey, the heartware is revealed.
"Finishing produces none of the dramatic climaxes or dizzying intensity associated with most other sports. The sight of delirious fans jumping off their seats or cheering spectators lining the streets is conspicuously absent. There are no rapturous celebrations and no one in the stands to witness our finest moment of accomplishing something great
and magnificent. There is neither blood rush to the head nor heady heart
thumping, neither guttural roar nor primal scream. Peeling off these outer
layers uncovers the core of our experience. Our epiphany lies understanding, appreciation and respect. We gain a genuine understanding that the true rewards come not in receiving a medal but in staying present in the 'now' moment. We develop an honest appreciation of the strength of the human spirit and the true powers that lie within every individual. We acquire a heartfelt respect for all that life has to offer and for the selflessness of fellow human beings in sharing a special brotherhood and camaraderie.
"British competitor Diego Carvajal reflects on how his enjoyment lay in letting the experience be the prize: “I know it sounds so cliché, but it’s surprising how despite the pain of my knee, the heat, the sand, the hills and how hard each of these races are…just how much I miss them when I come home and how much I miss the simplicity of it all and remember only the good points.”
"Singaporean Vanessa Tan echoes his sentiment, “Every day I look back at the experience and smile. I cannot remember the heat and the tiredness very well. But I do remember the feeling of empowerment upon reaching each campsite and the crazy laughs we had… I remember
the thousands of stars above me as I brushed my teeth each morning… I remember the feeling of peace as I turned my head to admire the soft smooth dunes around me. 250 kilometres later, I have made many friends and I know that inside, I am a new person."
"This process of self-discovery is coupled closely with finding an inner calmness. That, then, is the essence, the reward, and the heart of adventure: not a dramatic climax that demands to be fed, but an inner peace.
Peace is the outcome of adventure."
Page 172, Runaway Success: Life
Lessons from Ultra Endurance Racing
By Thaddeus Lawrence 2012 http://www.therunawaysuccess.com
Thaddeus Lawrence is a speaker, trainer, author and founder of Runwaway Success Learning Practice.
He is best known for successfully completing a total of 1,000kilometres in a footrace through the hottest, coldest, windiest, and driest deserts on earth. His remarkable feat in the Sahara, Gobi, Atacama, and Antartica has been rated by TIME magazine as one of its Top Ten Endurance Competitions in the world.
He is best known for successfully completing a total of 1,000kilometres in a footrace through the hottest, coldest, windiest, and driest deserts on earth. His remarkable feat in the Sahara, Gobi, Atacama, and Antartica has been rated by TIME magazine as one of its Top Ten Endurance Competitions in the world.
