The Real Reason You Don’t Feel Alive

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Your World Within Podcast by Eddie Pinero 39 min 2 speakers 8 chapters transcribed 4 months ago
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What sparked the idea for Eddie's rucking challenge?

Eddie Pinero 0:00
I had a friend reach out last month and pitch an idea. Eddie, there's a 150 mile bike race called the MS150. It's happening right here in Texas, near Houston. But Eddie, instead of cycling it, what if we rucked it? And for those who don't know, rucking is essentially walking with a weighted vest or backpack on. He continued, so it takes the bikers two days But if we leave a few days before them, we'll then have four days to cross the finish line at the same time. I did the math, slightly less than 40 miles a day. It's a lot. We laughed. No one's done it before. We laughed again. Crazy. But ultimately we agreed, partially because he's an amazing dude and partially because I know that the best experiences of my life have all been born of seemingly spontaneous ideas with people I cared about that pushed me further than I knew I could go.
Eddie Pinero 1:05
We told people. They laughed and said it was crazy. We smiled and agreed. Sure enough, the day arrived. We were accompanied by a mutual friend, making it three of us rucking total, as well as our significant others who were alongside us the entire time in a Bronco filled with food, drinks, and medical supplies. As we started out, we laughed. Boys, this is crazy. But just like it takes a fraction of a second to realize your hand is on a burning stove, we weren't really sure what we'd gotten ourselves into. Day one was fun, actually. At least most of it. Setting down the camera, walking past it to get those artsy passing by shots, closeups of flowers and trees blowing in the wind, The three of us reminiscing about old stories, lessons, some dad jokes, even some friendly debate.
Eddie Pinero 2:11
Which, I'm sorry, but you guys cannot convince me that we haven't been to the moon. As much as it drives all my buddies crazy, I won't bend. But onward we marched. And erosion is subtle. Like waves washing up on the beach. except it was the erosion of mind and body. Hotspots under the feet materialized, becoming blisters, becoming open blisters. The sun, beaming down, began to take its toll. And as it set, we realized we still had ten miles and it was just day one. It was now evident that we had entered the cage with the beast we underestimated. And for context, you know, I've run quite a few ultra-distant races in my life. Done the Keys 100 a few times, as well as unofficially twice. Ran across Arizona, Texas, I've run a few halves.
Eddie Pinero 3:08
The endurance space is not new to me. This type of pain was not new to me. And still, this was the hardest thing I've ever done, by far. To move consistently with weight, just a different ballgame. We're crazy, man, I'd say. Crazy, Keely would reply with a laugh. Eventually, we wrapped up, collapsed into the Jeep where the girls met us with blankets and electrolytes. Crazy, they'd say. You guys are nuts. Day two was even harder.

How does discomfort contribute to personal growth?

Eddie Pinero 3:43
And I won't get into every little detail here, but swollen feet, blisters, chafing, overall fatigue, you get the idea. Each day seemed to get harder and harder until we approached day four, the final day. Let's fast forward. It's 2 a.m., two hours to go on a freeway that stretched the entire way to the finish line at College Station. My situation was so bad, I was basically walking bow-legged like a cowboy. Step, step, step, step. I could focus on nothing big picture, nothing else. And then somehow, like all things, it just ends. Even the things you didn't think ever would. And the second that finish line was in front of us, there was a monumental relief to the point that all I could do is cry. And I mean weep like a baby, delusional, exhausted, and overtaken by the understanding that I just did the hardest thing I've ever done in my life.
Eddie Pinero 4:47
Despite the lightning bolts I was feeling pushing up my body, I was basking in a euphoria that money cannot buy. that's virtually unobtainable without a march of this magnitude. I was higher than I'd ever been immediately after being lower than I'd ever been. Like an elevator that takes you from the depths of Death Valley to the highest point of Everest. What is this feeling? I started imagining a world where I never felt this, where I gave into the pain on day two or bowed down to the raw skin or swollen, blistered feet I was working with earlier that day.

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