Why Race?

People ask me “why do you race? Why not just go on a run on your own? Why race other people? For ego? Why are you so competitive? I can’t imagine paying to race when I can run for free.”

I’m sure I am not the only athlete to receive these questions, nor will I be the last. Questions like this come from a curious place, so I’ll never judge someone for asking them (as much as I want to say “you just don’t get it man”).

Thousands of years ago, I would have been running through the open planes of Africa, hunting wildebeest to eat and survive. Now, I don’t have to run to survive. Society instead gets to sit behind desks to grocery shop & buy houses through glowing screens. The requirement to run as a human is gone, even though our bodies are built for running & recreation.

I run for several reasons. Running for exercise is part of it. The overarching reason I run, the deep-down reason, is we are so fortunate and lucky to live in a society where our excess energy can be put towards improving your life on top of your basic needs, and pushing forward the lives of other people. It is a privilege to get to race people because the society we live in now allows us to do so. For 99% of the humanity before me, racing each other for sport would have likely led to death, because every last drop of energy needed to be stored for potential survival reasons (hunting for food, fleeing attacking tribes, etc).

I am competitive, and I do enjoy winning and competing against other people, but the opposite of racing would be not knowing my true limits (physically & emotionally). I wouldn’t get to enjoy as many community building events that foster human interaction needed in a well-balanced life, and ultimately die sooner due to less motivation towards bigger goals.

In reality, we as a species cannot remove ourselves from nature and the endless curiosity it calls for. Competition can be apart of that if your life goals are aligned with physical output, longevity, and/or wellbeing. Whether you are out in nature to run, hike, bike, or any other outdoor activity, you’ll almost never regret having put yourself through the experience.

“Smile, or you’re doing it wrong” – Andy Glaze