Ultra Running and Detachment

Detachment plays a vital role in ultra running - yes we need the desire and drive to train for events, to push through the hard times and continue going - yet without detachment we become too caught up in what each moment offers and lose sight that no moment (or what's contained within the moment) will last. Detachment offers freedom. Our desires remain intact but we have the freedom to maneuver around them instead of being manipulated by them. Placing demands on the body during a race becomes an ego game and will often leave us burned out and unable to finish a given race. A preference however means that while we are still driven towards a particular outcome - we are no longer attached to it's achievement. Detachment means that we are aligned with present circumstances and our surroundings - there is no wasted energy on placing demands on things beyond our control. To stay in alignment we allow ourselves the emotional space to shift when needed, to make necessary changes when we must and stay in motion when we are able. In Ultra running this means forward progress.