Overcoming pain for feeling of being alive

Why do people run 42 km full marathons, 68 km or 100 km ultra marathons?

Why do people swim, bike, run in triathlon as if one sport is not challenging enough?

What are these crazy, weird people so crazy and weird at first place? They shall check themselves into mental hospital!! lol!


Oh well, I guess I shall also check myself into mental hospital since I also swim, bike and run. 😉

What's a common denominator here?


P A I N.

In the book"What I talk about when I talk about running", Japanese marathon runner, triathlete cum novelist Haruki Murakami wrote,

"Pain seems to be the precondition for marathon, ultra marathon and triathlon. If pain weren't involved, who in the world would ever go to the trouble of taking part in sports like the triathlon or the marathon, which demand such an investment of time and energy? It's preciously because of the pain, precisely because we want to overcome that pain, that we can get the feeling through this process, of really being alive -or at least partial sense of it."

After reading his book, only I realize why I'm hooked on marathons and triathlons. 

Yes,  the purpose is to overcome the pain for feeling of being alive!

Feeling of being alive?

It seems that majority of people who enjoy marathons, ultra marathons and /or triathlete are middle-aged and senior people. 

I think as careers of many middle-ages people have stabilized, some of their health issues might start to pop up. Ageing process is also starting to kick in faster than ever. 

At such juncture in life, looking for some sort of pain that can help to release the feeling of being alive becomes increasingly important.

Any sport with very high impact might not be suitable for people over 40. 

Any sport that can help strengthen the heart is very welcome!

As endurance has become more important than the puff-up muscles, hence cardio workout is what many people are looking after now.

I am one of the crazy ones. I enjoy marathon and triathlon.

Yes, there is pain. But the feeling of being alive after completion is simply beyond description!

Cheers to pain! 

Cheers to the feeling of being alive!



Best regards,
Vincent Khor written on September 16, 2017

Image source: Pexels