Before You Compare Yourself, Do This

A client was talking about her fall races with another runner, when the runner commented that Western States was really hard and the runners in it highly accomplished. 

My client got angry in the moment but blew it off. Later, though, she questioned her own 100s and how they stack up to that type of big name event - Western States, Hardrock, UTMB and The Barkley

Of course negative stuff surfaced, so she asked me why a small statement creates so much negativity. 

The answer is that your brain hears what the other person says as, “Those few big races are the only ones that matter. What you’ve done is nothing.”

It feels like she’s judging your races and dismissing them a unimportant.

So of course you get angry. You put a lot into your ultras and are proud of what you’ve accomplished. She should respect that.

But an insecure part of you worries, is she right? Those are the races everyone wants to get into and the social media frenzy surrounding them is intense.

So you compare and sure enough - you see all the ways you and your races don’t measure up to Western States.

Without realizing it, you end up deflated - disrespecting your own accomplishments and wishing you were better, faster, or tougher than you are, which obviously creates the negativity.

So it will surprise you that comparing isn’t the problem.

We know that because comparing something else like our height against Western States runners’ heights is only mildly interesting. It doesn’t hit the same.

The real cause of the negativity is WHY you’re comparing. 

Go back to what you heard the other person say: “Those few big races are the only ones that matter. What you’ve done is nothing.”

That sets up a black and white comparison. You’ve either run Western States and are an accomplished runner or not. And if you haven’t, you don’t matter.

The simple solution to the negativity is this: question the assumption that started the comparison in the first place.

Is it true that Western States, Hardrock, UTMB and Barkley are the only races that matter?

That to be an accomplished ultrarunner, you have to have run one of them?

The answer is no for at least three reasons. 

First, if those were the only races that mattered, then there wouldn’t be demand for others but there are scores of 100s around the world because different races matter to different people for different reasons.

Second, the hype surrounding those few big races doesn’t mean other races aren’t hard. It just means they’re hard and they get hype.

Third, being in Western States doesn’t mean a runner is highly accomplished. It means they got in the lottery. 

Before you compare yourself to anyone for any reason, check whether the reason you’re comparing is even true.

Are they someone you have to be? Are you sure?

You could prevent useless negativity and stay excited about your races.