5 Secrets Endurance Challenges Teach Us About Life and Resilience
What Swimming 10 Miles, Running 50K, and Constantly Trying New Things Can Teach Us About Life
Darkness devoured an open field in Texas at 3 am. This ungodly hour was too late to be night and too early to be morning. My colleague Mary and I sat on camp chairs staring into the dark horizon waiting for any signs of light in the distance. Minutes ticked by until we spotted a small, dim light, bobbing toward us.
We stood up and waited. Slowly the light came shuffling toward us and out of the forest shadows emerged the outline of a runner. This was no ordinary 3 am. It’s the middle of an Ultra run.
Embrace the New Normal
Endurance events are anything but ordinary. Picture this: you start running at sunrise, keep going all day and night without sleeping, and face your second sunrise still running. The second day arrives and you’re still running and you’re still at it when the sun sets again. People are eating Oreos at 1am, filling their cheeks with M&M’s, and chugging Coca-Cola and quesadillas at the aid stations.
Events like these may seem crazy—who in their right mind would run 100 miles? But when you meet people who do this, something shifts. You start to get curious, try it, and before you know it, it becomes your new normal.
As we watched runners at the Dinosaur Valley Endurance Run come into basecamp, refuel, and head back out into the dark, it became clear: this was normal. One runner, 20 hours in with 14 hours to go, rushed in and out of the crew tent with determination that outlasted exhaustion.
We saw one runner collapse with cramps, another talking nonsense—hallucinating. Some dropped out, but most kept going. Determination, grit, courage, or stubbornness? Watching people push through such a challenge makes you wonder: why? Why endure the pain and head back out into the darkness, alone with your thoughts and demons?
Discover Your Why
Over the past six years, I’ve discovered my many "why’s" through challenging events that have equipped me with new tools for personal and professional growth. Growing up swimming daily and racing on weekends, I always maintained a strong fitness routine. But it wasn’t until my first triathlon in 2018 that I realized athletic events are about more than fitness—they hold the keys to living a more fulfilling life and lifting up those around us.
With each race, I’ve uncovered more secrets that have shaped my adult life. This journey began with a half marathon in 2019 and a century bike ride (100 miles) in 2020. In 2021, I completed an Ironman 70.3, followed by a 10-mile swim near the Canadian border and the New York City Marathon. Most recently, I tackled my first Ultra—a grueling 50K trail run through the canyons of North Texas.
The Journey Is the Test
The challenge isn’t just race day. It’s the 4:30am wake-ups to go swim when it’s below freezing outside, it’s the weekends you spend training instead of hanging out with your friends. It’s the setbacks like ankle sprains or knee pain that you have to work through.
Suddenly race day arrives and you find yourself nervous about entering new territory. For example I remember during the 50K race, I realized the longest I’ve ever run before that was 26 miles. Everything beyond that would be new to me. I was testing both my physical and mental limits. But then once you break the barrier, you find yourself beyond what you even thought was possible.
Growth Lies Beyond the Comfort Zone
You realize nothing makes you feel more alive than digging deep inside yourself and see what you’re made out of. Because all of these endeavors are teachers. They teach us to believe in ourselves. To surround ourselves with people who encourage us. It unites us by instilling a sense of camaraderie and helping one another accomplish our biggest goals.
We feel it all. The highs, the lows, and everything in between. It’s hard to describe the emotions you feel when you stare into the void of a bottomless dark lake for 6.5 hours of straight swimming. Or the tears of joy that flood your eyes when you spot a friend cheering for you on the last mile of a marathon. Or the satisfaction you feel when you are in the pain cave or “the wall” and you manage to talk yourself out of it and keep going. You feel the claws sinking in and you hold on until the end with everything you’ve got.
It’s like a muscle that we strength and it helps with other areas of life. Like the obstacles we face while running a business, the uncertainty of a job, the hurt from emotions, or the personal challenges. We can tackle those the same way we tackle our athletic endeavors. Those in a way, are training for life. They make us stronger. They give us the confidence to dig deep inside ourselves and face the mountain head on.
Hard Times Build Strength for Life
Back to my story of being in the middle of the woods at 3 am. A race is composed of stories. We were there to capture those stories. We interviewed not only the runners, but the volunteers who hadn’t slept in 48 hours. We talked with the pacers who accompanied runners through the toughest miles. To the spouses and families of those who were running. We wanted find out why they participated and why they supported the event. It really is a time when everyone uplifts one another in the face of challenges.
We also don’t have to run 100-miles to reap the benefits of growth and build the mental tenacity. Our first 5K run can certainly have the same effect. It’s about putting ourselves in situations that challenge us and demand the best of us. It’s about being in uplifting community environments where others encourage us, and where we can do the same.
Turns out the human spirit is a bit of a contradiction. Sometimes hard times get thrown at us and other times we intentionally put ourselves in hard times. However, I’ve found that the latter always helps us with the former. It’s like exercising a muscle so that the next time we face a mountain (voluntary or not), we are ready.
5 Secrets:
Embrace the new normal— challenges at first seem insurmountable, but with routine and persistence, it becomes a personal standard.
Discover your why— In our deepest darkest moments we always question “why.” It’s important to have a deeper purpose because it sustains us.
The journey is the test— The real challenge lies in the preparation— sacrifices, early mornings, and setbacks. The process teaches us resilience and dedication beyond the event itself.
Growth lies beyond the comfort zone— true personal and mental growth comes from pushing past perceived limits. Testing our boundaries builds confidence and helps us reach untapped potential.
Challenging times build strength for life— Endurance challenges act like training for life’s struggles. Voluntarily exercising adversity strengthens muscles that the will need to face the involuntary hardships of life. In the midst of these challenges, the support of others becomes key. Together, we inspire, encourage, and help one another achieve our greatest goals.
What’s Next?
Being at this trail race recently rekindled my flame for a next challenge. Something may be brewing for 2025. With the new year around the corner, there is no better time to dig deep and pick a new challenge. Perhaps a 80 KM run is taking shape…
If you enjoyed this story, here are related stories you might like:
Running is Our Teacher (Lessons from running 50 KM)
Would You Swim 10-Miles? (Reflections from a 6.5 hour swim)