I advise that you listen to me; I’m here to save you from an atrocious mistake. The title of an ultra-runner might appear fantastical, elite even. Many people that run can usually only dream of running distances farther than they do in their own personal journey. However, I’m here to tell you that becoming an ultra-runner will completely change the manner in which you live every aspect of your life. The title and status of this phenomenon will destroy your weekends, abolish your free time, and drain the money from your bank account due to buying countless trail shoes and the coolest Garmin you can find. What’s the worst aspect of them all? You become known as the weirdo who runs absurdly long distances for “fun”. If you want to do yourself the biggest favor in life- never sign up for an ultra. Still not convinced? Let me give you six reasons why. 

1.You’ll spend far too much of your free time exploring the beautiful landscapes of this extraordinarily breathtaking earth. 

Instead of having lazy weekends at home watching Netflix or participating in bottomless mimosas at brunch, you’ll be waking up as the sun rises and find yourself exploring natural beauty while aimlessly trotting through snake-like trails until you’re inevitably chasing gorgeous sunsets. 

2. You’ll never look at the weather in the same way anymore. 

Is there a heatwave? Run. Blizzard amounting to over a foot of snow? Put on spikes and run. Raining? You’ve got 3 different running rain jackets, run. Windy? I sure hope it’s not enough to be blown away, run. Instead of being cozy during dark days or feeling the blast of air conditioning while an indescribable heat bellows outside, you’ll have your trail shoes on for a “character-building” Strava post. 

3. You’ll start measuring distances in “onlys”.

“I only ran 10 miles today”. “I did a half today, but probably had time to do a marathon if I stayed out until 10pm.” “50K? I should be doing 50 MILES”. Your perception of distance will truly start to wrap around a continuous track in your head. Soon, minimum distances of runs will amount to AT LEAST double digits. 

4. Your friends will become those who also like “suffering for fun”.

Remember when your idea of a great time was staying out in a club until 5am or playing board games with your pals all night? Not anymore. The crazy people you meet on the trail are just as wild as you. Soon, you’ll start comparing your damaged feet or share stories of that hallucination you saw during a race. Even while you’re running, the peculiar pack will be screaming how they’re never running again, only to be gliding through the trees the next morning. 

5. You’ll always be pushing for a triumph that’s greater than the last.

After the conclusion of a race, there will be no true “end”. Not only will you be pushing for longer distances and higher elevation, but the concept of accepting and overcoming greater challenges will become unwaveringly addictive. Personal growth will become your hobby. 

6. You’ll realize that you’re far more capable than what you believe. 

If you’ve yet to detect my obnoxious sarcasm, I’ll say it now: become an ultra-runner. Not only will your physical limits be pushed far beyond the bounds of this dimension, but your mind will bend in mysterious ways to ensure your soul that there is always something left you can fight for. Every race, every run, every epic mile will show you that preset limits are simply an illusion.