Why That One?

It’s a question I’ve been asked over and over these past few weeks, as friends want to hear about the adventures of my first 100k in Cape Town.

Most conversations start the same way:

“I want to hear all about your race.”

And I usually respond,

“Ask me some questions,” so I can figure out which part of the race they’re actually curious about.

After I tell them about pulling myself up a rock face by my fingernails. And how I was 35 miles in, facing massive boulders, unsure I could land safely if I leapt from one to the next, so I put my hands down and crossed on all fours.

Not exactly elegant.

Not long after, the real question comes:

Why did you pick this race?

Cape Town is a cool place, sure, but why make your first 100k exponentially difficult when any 100k would be a huge accomplishment post Achilles surgery?

I get why they ask.

Why choose a race that was 10/10 technical when I didn’t have anywhere near the experience to thrive in that terrain?

This morning, on my first real trail run back, I thought about the hours I’ve spent running during this treacherous season, when leaves blanket the ground and you can’t see what’s underneath. I definitely wasn’t running technical trails this time last year.

In fact, a few days ago Strava reminded me that a year ago I was celebrating running seven miles on cement with 364 feet of elevation gain.

“A (Shropshire) milestone,” I called it.

One year later… well, you know the rest.

As a road runner, I was always going to struggle on trails. Using the well-known 10,000 hour rule (yes, I know it’s been largely debunked, but it works as an analogy), I probably have around 150 lifetime hours on technical trails. My hours on pavement? Easily over 10,000.

In training, I could handle technical trails, or at least the version we have in Chattanooga. But on race day, I wasn’t willing to risk everything by rolling an ankle. So I played it safe.

That meant watching every foot placement. Carefully stepping across rocks. Losing hours on the downhills. I watched men I had passed easily on the climbs put minutes on me in seconds on the descents.

And that wasn’t the only way my inexperience showed.

Trail racing requires you to constantly scan for flags while simultaneously watching the ground for obstacles. It’s a whole different skill set. So it’s not surprising that I missed a turn with just a few miles to go, and lost 20 minutes getting back on course.

That mistake forced me to run through dusk, when my vision struggled and I had to slow down even more.

For those of you who watched my dot go off the map on the tracker, yep. That’s what happened.

I’m also not used to ascents and descents where you climb hundreds of feet in minutes, terrain so steep that hiking is unavoidable. I know tough road hills, but nothing that leaves your hip flexors screaming like that. No amount of strength training could have fully prepared me.

So again, why choose a race that was so clearly not made for me?

Did I not want to set myself up to win? Figuratively, or even literally?

No. Actually.

I got something greater than a podium spot.

Now I know.

I know I can do hard things. I know that if I can finish one of the hardest 100k races in the world, then lining up for a race that does suit me is something to be genuinely excited about.

I know I want to chase competitive running for the right reasons. I stayed committed during a race that exposed every weakness I have, and I came out wanting more. That tells me this desire isn’t driven by ego or success alone.

Yes, I finished 8th (not 7th, as I first thought, someone was missing from the original results). And I am proud of that.

But I was still almost four hours behind the winner. With 48% of the field not finishing, his race was more a survival of attrition than a test of who could truly thrive.

Best of all, I now know exactly where my weaknesses are...and where my opportunities lie.

I didn’t have the thousands of hours on trails that most of the top ten runners had.

I didn’t have experience racing with 10–15 pounds of mandatory gear on my back.

I didn’t do enough due diligence on the course.

I need to learn how to run through fear, how to look ahead, trust my brain, and let my body follow.

All of that is learnable.

What I do know is that I thrive on uphills. And choosing races where I can push the climbs and lose less time on the descents, (while I build that skill) is incredibly exciting.

It’s easy to choose goals that suit our strengths. That feels good.

But it feels even better to choose something that exposes your weaknesses, something that shows you exactly where growth is waiting.

So yes, I could have picked a race more suited to me.

Just like you could pick a goal you already know you can reach.

Or you could choose something that scares you, and see who you become in the process.

You’ll learn far more about yourself that way.

And you might unlock parts of yourself you didn’t even know were there. I sure did.

It has been a really exciting week for prep for 2026 with Racing For Sustainability. Soon we are going to release a list of races we have bibs for that you can request to join us, but without being on this list where we have info about what races you want to run, you may miss out. If you would like to run with Racing For Sustainability in 2026 (either at a major/sold out race or in your local races), make sure you fill out this form. It will take you 30 seconds.

On that note, we have one bib left for Big Sur (which is sold out). Before we offer it to the greater running community, would you like it? Respond to this email and we can get you signed up :)

My what to wear for winter running guide has been getting a lot of traction lately, save this in your browser for days you aren't sure how to dress

and while I am sharing popular posts, here is another of my all time most popular articles:

Now is the best time of year to practice that skill (and yes, it is a skill that can be learned)

Thanks to our partner, AG1

Heading into year seven of using AG1 as my daily foundational nutrition and immune support system to stay at my best, especially this time of year, when it matters more than ever.

AG1 gives me daily, all-in-one nutrition with a full spectrum of micronutrients from whole foods, helping fill the gaps so I can enjoy all the seasonal goodies (and yes… there are so many fun, sugary treats this time of year 😉).

Powered by antioxidants, probiotics, and functional mushrooms, AG1 supports immune system resilience, something I’m especially grateful for as I head into crowded airports and travel that puts extra strain on the body.

At night, AGZ helps prepare my mind and body for truly restful sleep. I’ve been blown away by how easily I drift off when AGZ helps my nervous system unwind, even on particularly chaotic days. Chocolate mint, about 90 minutes before bed, is my favorite.

Right now is also one of the best times to try AG1, you’ll get bonus items like a sampler pack of all three AG1 flavors, a welcome kit, and a bottle of D3K2 (which is especially helpful during winter).

Available for friends in the US, UK, Europe, and Canada

--

Be kind to one another, yourself, and this beautiful planet of ours.

Enjoying these? Why not forward to a friend who may enjoy. Encourage them to sign up and get these emails too. And if you missed an email, or would like to reread one, you can find past newsletters here.