Choosing a new adventure can be as difficult as climbing a 14er in Colorado, or as simple as exploring trails in your local state park. There doesn’t need to be an element of fear, although, some might prefer tackling a conquest that rattles their nerves and makes their heart race a bit faster, but we all have our own idea of what adventure means. And for many ultrarunners, it’s as easy as trying something new.
I recently took my 16-year-old daughter to her first music festival in Tennessee. We have been to concerts in Oregon, Colorado and Canada, but this was a new experience for us both. While we knew where we were headed, we had no idea what to expect (except great music). The weather forecast had been our biggest concern leading up to the festival, as excessive rain and flooding canceled last year’s event. Rain and thundershowers happened to be in the forecast this year as well.
My previous experience with Tennessee weather has only been during my coverage of the Barkley Marathons, which didn’t prepare me for the torrential downpour and subsequent mud-covered acreage we’d be traversing in our flipflops (trail running shoes would have been ideal in this situation). By the end of the festival, we had experienced moments of both fear and excitement – all because we had embarked on an adventure with the goal of seeing our favorite musicians. After the final show was over and we found ourselves lost and coated in mud while trying to locate our car, my daughter asked, “Mom, is this what it feels like to run 100 miles?” I knew what she was thinking. We experienced feelings of exhaustion and uncertainty while sliding through the fields of muddy Tennessee farmland, and it felt very similar to running an ultramarathon.
In this issue, we tackle different ways to find and create new adventures outside of our comfort zone. Coach Jason Koop writes about the benefits of a DIY training camp on page 12. Max King recounts being inspired by the biographies and stories of previous adventurers on page 19, and Dr. Nick Tiller describes his unexpected adventure in the Scottish Highlands on page 30. We’ve also pulled together essential pieces of gear for your next mountain 100-mile race or adventure on page 42.
Choosing a new adventure doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Start with something that inspires you, whether it’s a book, a trail or music, and find your version of fun. Everyone has a different definition of adventure, but as long as the idea excites you (and doesn’t necessarily require a registration fee), that’s a perfect place to begin.