“The dog days are over, The dog days are done
The horses are coming, So you better run
Run fast for your mother, run fast for your father
Run for your children, for your sisters and brothers
Leave all your love and your longing behind
You can't carry it with you if you want to
survive.”
Those lines are from the lyrics of a song by Florence+Machine. It’s pretty much about taking off… into the unknown.
Have you ever gone for a run? A race, a routine weekend run with a group or even by yourself? And did that run cause something to change in you? Most runners would tell you about how a bad day changed into a good one — you know… with the whole endorphin thing and what not.
Dean Karnazes, (pictured right) an American ultramarathon runner, a world-famous endurance athlete and best-selling author was a good runner during his early school days and he exhibited almost superhuman endurance levels. But in his mid-teens, due to some personal setbacks he just stopped running altogether. He stayed this way until his 30th birthday, when he experienced an epiphany.
So he took off. He ran nearly 50 kilometres into the night. Thing is, after 15 years of absolutely no training, no ordinary human could’ve managed that distance but Karnazes being Karnazes, pushed his limits. Despite excruciating blisters on his feet, he didn’t show any signs of fatigue. He then went on to complete some of the toughest running events on the planet and is now one of the greatest endurance athletes of all time. He ran a marathon to the South Pole in temperatures as low as -10°C, has completed fifty marathons in fifty days and once ran 500 kilometres in just 80 hours and 44 minutes, without any sleep. When danger looms, our natural response is to run. We either take the bull by its horns or just flee. Research says this mechanism kicks in when we are faced with severe upheavals.
There are several personal stories of those who ran to quit alcohol or some sort of addiction, to escape a bad marriage, to lose weight, or just for the sheer joy of it. Life is tough — sometimes you just can’t deal with it.
Running is exactly like life. The world outside has a chilling tendency to throw a curve-ball when you are least expecting it. But after pain comes joy, both in life and in running. Running has the power to do that. It creates self-worth through positive reinforcement, it creates a sense of purpose through goals. It’s NOT just the fit, healthy and strong who run. Running has become the game changer for those who have struggled with physical or mental illness, low self-esteem, massive personal loss, anger issues, regret and other pains. Why? Because it has the power to heal, to restore confidence and sanity. The vital Ingredients for success in life are found in running too — discipline, dedication, determination, commitment, perseverance and a positive attitude.
Which is everything that powered Dean Karnazes, as he took off into the night — for nearly 50 kilometres.
