You Have All The Time You Need
What we can learn from Ludovic Pommeret’s victory at Hardrock 100.
This past weekend, Ludovic Pommeret won the prestigious Hardrock 100 Mile Endurance Race in the San Juan mountains of Colorado.
He set a new course record, kissing the (in)famous rock after running for 21:33:12. This is over 102.5 miles (165 km), with an elevation gain of 10,118 meters, at an average elevation of 3,353 meters above sea level. Hardrock is a relentlessly tough course to say the least.
A massive round of applause to Ludovic for this phenomenal achievement. Moments like these fill me with excitement.
What this victory taught me about ultra running.
Training, nutrition, pacing, mindset…there are a multitude of things to learn from athletes of this calibre. But what struck me most about this performance is that Ludovic is 49 years old.
He is at the peak of his trail running career at an age that many people might consider ‘old’. And what a mistake that would be.
As an ultra distance athlete, I believe that performance and longevity go hand in hand.
It takes many, many years of consistent effort to build the aerobic, muscular and skeletal capacity required to perform at this level. It takes countless races to refine your competitive mindset. You have to learn through action. It is a cycle of train, race, rest, reflect, and repeat that yields results like these.
Yes, there are younger athletes doing incredible things early on in their careers. Now just imagine what they’ll be doing in 20 years time…if they’re able to stay in the game.
Patience. Perspective. Perseverance.
In a world that operates at a frenetic pace (thanks social media), what we really need is patience, perspective and perservaerance.
Much like financial investment, in ultra running, compound interest is your greatest ally.
If you want to reach your peak, it takes time in the game. There’s no shortcut, cheat code or get fit-quick scheme.
It doesn’t matter what you do day-to-day, and week-to-week. It’s the compounding effect of month-to-month, and year-to-year that truly pay off.
I’m not suggesting you skip sessions and put things off until ‘tomorrow’. What I’m saying is that you slow down, and look at the bigger picture.
Take All The Time You Need.
You have all the time you need. And what a wonderful realisation that is.
So many areas of our lives are governed by dates, deadlines and schedules. In many ways it is a necessary evil for most of us. Any deadlines in ultra running are self-imposed. And you might just be better off without them.
Yes, structured training plans are an excellent way to improve performance.
And yes, goal setting matters.
Races, adventures and objectives as milestones along the way that help us to measure progress, and keep ourselves motivated.
But there’s no pressure to be great by next week. No matter what Strava might tell you.
If you are injured, rest. If you’re feeling good, go a bit further. Run races that inspire you. Go ride a bike, go swimming, take a long slow hike.
Look at the bigger picture, and commit to the long run (pun intended).
You have plenty of time.
Embrace it, and enjoy the process.
