A friend of mine summed it up well for me yesterday…she said, “Brad, your whole world is an ultra world”. And, indeed, she was correct. I am an ultra runner. I do things to the extreme. I love a challenge…but it has to be a real challenge. I don’t do well with small challenges. I take the phrase ‘go big or go home’ literally. I’m not going home yet, so I’m living life big.
One of my greatest personal accomplishments is completing a 100 mile run. I am really glad I did. It was more than a challenge but I did it. I also completed an ironman distance tri. Another big challenge for me. But, it isn’t just about exercise…it is about life for me. I want to live my life ultra. This often causes me to stress and overwhelm myself. I know this. I know it when I am doing it. But, I want to really live life. So, I don’t just take a spin class, I teach it. I don’t just take a world religions class, I work on staff for the center. I like to live life ultra.
Some would say this is a character flaw. I actually think it makes me who I am and I don’t see that as a flaw. I like pushing limits and going above and beyond. When my life is done, I want to have lived life to its fullest…in a good way…in a way that made a difference. So, that makes me different sometimes. But, I’m good with that. I am okay with living ultra in a non-ultra world.
I am thankful to my friend for helping me to put words to it. I am living my whole life as an ultra! Time to do it up and hopefully not drive my wife and family crazy in the process!
SEEING THE EXTRAORDINARY 