Back from 11 of the wettest miles I've run in quite some time.
Long before I clicked start on the watch, my brother Ruairi had been running loops of the 400m track at Goldsmiths, Crowborough.
When I arrived at 8:30am, he was 3 and a half hours and 23-miles deep into today's challenge.
I left him just shy of 2-hours later a further 11-miles into his 100km track attempt, sitting around 34-miles... If you're in the world of ultra endurance, you can appreciate the notion of 'over half-way' meaning very little. Perhaps in distance you're over half-way, but the accumulative fatigue and compounding impact really makes 'over half-way' as little consolation.
But that's the beauty of these hefty challenges. Whilst we hope to offset discomfort for as long as we can, the man or woman who can welcome pain and discomfort into their being, accept it and lean into this state is always the one who will come out victorious.
The weather has only gone and got worse since leaving Ruairi but in the words of @jockowillink. GOOD!! Adversity maketh man.
I have no doubts that Ruairi will accomplish his goal today. But whether he does or doesn't, I can't articulate how proud I am of him.
I've known him since he joined @charthampark back in around November 2019, and witnessing this young man's growth has been quite simply one of my proudest feelings.
Recently he's found running, and has seen the impact this endeavour can have on mind, body and spirit... But mainly mind and spirit. We must appreciate and be grateful for having our bodies to act as a vehicle for personal growth but the body is merely the vessel that allows our mind and spirit to develop and grow.
I could go on and on but I guess all I want to say is Ruairi, I'm incredibly proud of you, not as a runner, but as a human being.
Steps 👣 + Smiles 🤗
Keep #Smilinggg 💛