Inspired by an article Martin Fritz Huber via Outside Magazine Online

We’ve all got our own style. How we approach cooking, or loading the dishwasher, or the clothes we wear, or of course the type of running we prefer. Track intervals, tempo runs, long runs, VO2 max efforts, hybrid, short races, medium races, long a** races, just going for a run. . .

But the commonality among all of this is the fact that we are simply running. Yes, the spread of gimmicks surrounding races to attract more participants has been huge the last decade. Races are as much about the pre and post race festivities, the swag you get as “proof” of accomplishment. There is a huge side argument regarding the presence and prevalence of social media, but that is for another day. If these add-ons bring more people to achieving improved fitness then that is great. But the running itself will never be replaced. It is impossible to replicate the feeling of racing though.

Whatever that means for you.

It is one of the reasons I love cross country and trail running so much. You just go race. Let go of the paces, just go out and run as hard as you can. Which is weird for me because I think I am better at training than racing. But here I am. Where will you find yourself on the next start line?