Racing versus adventure running: This is a long-debated topic among many trail runners and one where I’ve struggled to find where my heart is happiest.
Racing can be fun and motivating — training for a set goal you commit to by signing up and putting some money down. But sometimes racing lacks the creativity and adventure of dreaming up your own route, through a landscape that inspires you, and putting in the groundwork yourself to create your own adventure.
I bet we all have friends who, and we ourselves, have experienced the spectrum of long-distance running. Sometimes, we sign up for a race with the curiosity of not knowing if we’ll finish, and then other times, we get inspired by a distant peak or a done-in-a-day mission.
This endurance curiosity exists in all sports, like climbers trying to get up El Capitan in a day, or skiers seeing big lines with long approaches that verge on ultramarathon distances. And for some folks, the adventure doesn’t stop at one day but turns into long, multi-week expeditions into the far-off places that carrying only a running vest can’t get you. And then, other times, we want simply to get out the door for nothing more than to make us feel good.
A scene from the author’s latest adventure. Photo: Hannah Green
Personalities Reflected in Running Goals
Peoples’ inclinations in the way they approach running often seem to reflect different personality types, such as the goal-oriented and competitive Type A folks, who love racing and training plans, versus the relaxed and easy-going Type B folks, who don’t care what they run on any given day and likely don’t even own a watch. There’s no right way because we all tend to gravitate toward different things — it’s merely a reflection of our personalities. And even that can change as we evolve throughout our lives, and find passions for things that steer us elsewhere.
I bet I’m not alone in sometimes feeling pulled in opposite directions in the running world: feeling like I should run races to stay relevant, but really just being inspired by the call of wild and being outside. At the end of the day, I think you just have to remind yourself to do what you’re excited about, because that’s really all that matters.
The author racing the 2022 Hardrock 100, where she placed third. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
When you consume running media nowadays, it’s easy to forget that you don’t have to pay hundreds of dollars — or even thousands of dollars for those 200 milers — to sign up for a race. Yes, of course, the social aspect of racing is fun — and that date on the calendar — but that’s not everyone’s jam, and the price tags have started to turn racing into an exclusive, affluent activity. Turns out, you don’t have to run a race to be a runner. Racing nowadays is largely the commercialized form of an otherwise pretty quiet and solitary sport.
I think of a neighbor who ran 100 miles on his own through the wilderness, choosing solitude over a race. Or one of my friends who ran Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim through the Grand Canyon recently as her first ultra. Or all the folks that pore over maps or look at a ridgeline and say, “That! I want to run that!” To me those stories are as equally inspiring as the races.
Reasons For Running
Sometimes I struggle to define myself as a runner, and I think part of that is because I mostly only see the racing side being shown. I used to race, but then I decided to do my first thru-hike and it opened up my eyes to a gentler, less competitive way of moving long distances through the mountains. And now I also love waking up way-out-there and drinking my coffee in a far-off basin. For me, it’s a more wholesome way of being outside and connecting with nature, rather than solely chasing finish lines. And I still run most days in between the big adventures, to stay fit, mentally and physically. It’s just that running races is no longer the goal. Doing what you want to do versus what you think you “should” be doing is important to staying passionate, I think.
I’ve also listened to a lot of running podcasts recently. They’re mostly all about training for races or fastest known times, staying healthy, and trying to be the best runner you can be. But rarely do they touch on just the joy of being outside in the natural world. Having reverence for the places we get to explore with our two feet is so important, for that’s what translates into taking care of the land. For some, the curiosity of exploring a landscape far outweighs the curiosity in pushing physical limits. You can combine the two obviously, but you don’t always have to be “training” or pushing your limits, you can just run for the sake of enjoying running and being outside.
As I jog with friends along the long country road we muse about our questions in life. We talk about love and work and the inner turmoil that comes with decision-making. But one thing keeps resonating — no one has it figured out. There is the ever-present push and pull, just like my internal dialog regarding how I define myself as an athlete. Running is good for these conversations. It provides perspective and a meditative space to air your grievances. Friends also help with advice and their own wisdom and experiences to help with the internal tide. Spending time outside with friends is just another way the movement of running can be a part of our lives.
From left to right are Maggie Guterl, Meghan Hicks, Marisa Watson, Whiley Hall, Missy Gosney, and Hannah Green on Bear Peak in 2020. Photo: iRunFar
I’m realizing we all have so many different reasons for running. Running, like any outdoor activity, can teach us so much, or provide the space to just exist in the moment. “Training” is great, but “not training” is great too. And simply existing in the moment almost feels like a rogue activity as a modern human. We all strive for contentment, but boy is it hard to find. But maybe contentment, like finding “balance,” is a misnomer that is easy to overanalyze. But I know one thing is certain, I love running and hope it’s always a part of my life, whatever form it takes.
Call for Comments
What do you prefer, racing or adventure running? Or do you like to combine the two?
