Why Runners Seek Adventure

The older you become, the more you realize how swiftly the years go by. It felt like yesterday that you were in “this” place in your life but the reality was it was 7 years ago. Maybe it was as simple as you driving to work and realizing you can’t recall any details during your commute. Why does life move so fast? Is there a way to slow it down?

Seek Adventure Through Running

As a runner, I seek out some sort of adventure. Adventure doesn’t have to be some grand expedition or a trail racing event that’s 100 miles out in the backcountry. Adventure can occur in our everyday lives.

Adventure isn’t asking the question, “What’s the point?” It’s asking the question, “What’s over there?”

There are a limitless amount of runs that you can have where you can find adventure. Find the inner explorer in you and look around.

Is there a park that looks cool to you? Run to it.

Is there a historic landmark in your city that you’ve never seen? Run to it.

Have you ever wondered where the other path goes at the fork in the road goes? Run through it.

You may get slightly out of your comfort zone and feel like a weirdo running in places that most people don’t run and that’s okay. They’re not as adventurous as you are.

“The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.” – John Bingham

Running Can Be A Personal Heroes Journey

Imagine that you just signed up for your first marathon. The furthest that you’ve ever run in your life is 10 miles and you have 5 months to train.

You get a training plan, commit to it, and are excited about the possibility of making it through something that <1% of the population has done.

The call to adventure excites you, you join running groups and make friends along the way. However, about a month in, your training isn’t progressing the way that you wanted it to. You had a bad run that you couldn’t finish that you should be at right now. The temptation to quit and reject the journey is great but you feel like you can’t let the people around you down.

You stick to the training plan and keep going. Eventually, race day comes and you don’t know if you’re ready for it. It’s now or never to face reality.

During the race, you have started to feel things that you have never felt before. One muscle cramps, then another, then another. Then you start to chunk out the race in your mind just like how you chunked out your training. Instead of thinking, “I have run 20 miles.” You think, “I only have 6.2 miles left to go. I can make it through 1 more.”

Eventually, you make it to the finish line with something that was more than finishing a race. You finished with an inner transformation that’s hard to describe. You learned that with consistency, allowing others to support you, and dedication, your limits aren’t as limited as you once thought.

Adventure Is Getting Outside Your Comfort Zone

Every run is an opportunity to get outside your comfort zone. Getting outside our comfort zone is essential for personal growth.

Even the “easy” runs that most of us neglect to do can get us outside our comfort zone.

Adventure is about challenging yourself to go somewhere or do something that you have never done before. Adventure can be going on a run outside while it’s snowing despite the fact you’ve never gone on a snow run before.

Push yourself to get outside your comfort zone and you won’t regret it. Most of the regrets you will have in life will be in choosing to not do something.

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”- Robert Frost

Conclusion

Being adventurous during a run is one of the many joys that it can bring you. While it is fun to go on an adventure on a run, make smart decisions about your adventures. For example, it’s 85 degrees outside and you’re not sure you will be able to get water for a few hours, maybe you shouldn’t take that path.

Understand the difference between being smart and making excuses though. 99% of the time when I’m on a run and want to take a different path, the thoughts I have against it are excuses.

Will you have the courage to take an adventure? Will you decide to take the path that most don’t take?

Challenge yourself and push yourself to do something you never thought you could do.