My first Ultra! ⛰️

The No. 1 reason why people give up so fast is because they tend to look at how far they still have to go, instead of how far they’ve gotten.

I heard this quote in a voice message recorded by Matt, my friend from Canada. I played it around the 45 km mark and and it gave me exactly what I needed at that moment.

The idea

The idea of running an ultramarathon had been in my head for a long time. Just because I was curious.

What happens after the marathon distance?
What happens when there’s no clear finish line in your comfort zone anymore?

So I signed up for my first ultra: 57 kilometers.

The start

At the beginning, everything felt familiar.
The rhythm, the breathing, the steady steps.

Kilometers passed.
The marathon distance came and went.

And then… somewhere after 45 km, the race changed completely.

Finishing my first ultramarathon – exhausted but happy

The mental game

The biggest challenge wasn’t physical. It was mental. Breaking the distance into small pieces helped:

  • get to the next checkpoint
  • reach the next kilometer
  • take the next step

Crossing the finish line didn’t feel explosive. I didn’t feel like a super hero. It felt quiet and I felt satisfied :)

One step further than before.