Make friends with pain

Debra and I have been reading a book together on the trail, Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall. The book is about a group native to Mexico that simply loves to run obscene distances. The author started with a middle-age running injury, and goes on to research the rise of ultra running, and where it crossed cultures with this civilization of runners, the technology of running shoes, and other topics.

In the book, there is a quote, “make friends with pain, and you will never be alone.” It struck a chord with me about pushing your physical and mental boundaries. Regardless of what wonders we are experiencing, and regardless of length and difficulty, the last hour of each hike is generally a tough push through sore feet, hips, shoulders, etc. There is often not great joy in the last hour, carried out mostly in grim silence. 

Debra and I each have a place where we retreat during such times. My special place is called “the Pain Cave”, which I believe I have to attribute to my friend David Boyle. I most appropriately first heard this term from him while mountain biking at altitude in the Rockies. I thought that it sounded a little harsh and unfeminie for Debra, so during our many hours on the trail, we discussed it and came up with the “Settee of Suffering”. We decided it is one of those plush, one armed, burgundy colored sofas with all the buttons.

As for the Cave, it is a dank and dark and you really wouldn’t want to spend a lot of time there, but the concept of learning to enjoy the discomfort that comes with physical exertion is a huge step. I think we first became familiar with the idea while watching the Tour de France years ago. Even though those guys are all cheaters, we still watch it religiously. It is a true sufferfest, and to excel, you have to be able to find a way to embrace the suffering to push through those boundaries.

View of Pilot Mountain, where we camped on the night of Labor Day.

View of Debra stockpiling energy for the final push and last hour of our hike.