Where you set the bar

Last weekend was epic in Scotland with huge events taking place across the country in scorching weather.  An extreme ironman, the Celtman, took place in Wester Ross.  You're lucky to get out the swim (3.4km) without hypothermia or some nasty jellyfish stings.  The bike (200km) is on a hilly, tough and technical course and the warm down is a marathon with 1,600m of ascent.  If ironman wasn't hard enough then this  really is tough and the finishing times are significantly slower due to it being longer and more difficult than your normal ironman event.  But still people take it on.  I salute any finisher, or for that matter, anyone brave enough to make the start line.  Congratulations to my friends that finished.  You certainly have raised the bar from ironman which is a high bar to start with.
At the same time, the West Highland Way race, 96 miles from Milngavie to Fort William with 3,155 metres of ascent started at 1am on Saturday.  Entry into the event is by a ballot, as runners from around the world want to take on this challenge - I've tried twice and haven't got in.  It's a brutal course and leaving aside the winners who manage the event in around 14 hours, getting in under 24 hours is amazing and under 30 hours is still a good result.  To be honest, completing it is a massive achievement and our club mate Paul Noble managed it in 28 hours and 21 minutes on his first attempt.  I have ran the first 53 miles of this route in the Highland Fling and finished in 11 hours 6 mins but couldn't manage another step,  so the thought of going past this takes a lot of mental strength.  It depends on where you set the bar I guess!
I mention those two epic races as I was thinking about them this weekend while I was training at shorter distances.  On Saturday I ran with my pal Stuart as we replicated the race we will be doing in 5 weeks time.  The Highlander, Last One Standing involves a 6.7km loop around the Atholl Castle Estate which you have to do in an hour.  Easy I hear you say.  If you do the loop in 40 mins you can have 20 mins rest before starting again.  If  you complete the lap 59 mins you have a minutes rest, however you are disqualified if you exceed the hour.  Stu and I did four laps but the hard bit is sitting waiting for the next lap.  Do I drink, eat, stretch?  It's more of a mental challenge and while I have ran for extensive periods of time, over 24 hours, this is a different challenge.  Last year the winner completed 39 laps - yes 39 hours and 257.4 km to be the last one standing and everyone else disqualified!
The next day I ran 19km in the heat of the day and it made me think about "where you set the bar".  It was only 19km,but in the heat of the day it was a slog.  Only two weeks ago I ran/walked 60km and I also completed 2 marathons (42km) in the last few months.  So why was I struggling at 19km.  I had a good talk to myself.  Only 2 nights before a good friend of mine had visited me and it took him 7 mins to climb 3 flights of stairs.  He refuses to have a stair lift put in at home because it would be admitting defeat.  I had to physically lift him into my campervan as he has lost the power in his quads, and there will be no improvement.  So who was I to be struggling at 19km in the heat.  He's set his bar high and is defying gravity by hauling himself up the stairs.  Keep it going Al, you're doing amazing and an inspiration.
My next race is a trail half marathon and I'm excited about it.  Beth and I are heading up to Stonehaven to join her daughter and this will be her first half marathon.  It may "only be a half" but I know we'll have to work hard to get a decent time because we will set the bar high.
I'm going to finish on a sad note.  A long time friend of mine died in a tragic accident at the age of 69.  He was young for his age.  Always had a glint of mischief in his eye and read my blog every week.  He enjoyed pulling my leg and he will be greatly missed.  It's a reminder how fragile life is and why we should live in the present and make the most of this wonderful life we have been given.  Rest in peace Nick.  You will be missed but never forgotten.