Indulge me this week.
I've been running, I did a running race, 6.7k on the hour, every hour.
I managed 40 hours.
268k. This was at the World Championships.
I ran with 75 of the world's best.
Greatest running experience of my life.
And here is my story.
Remember, sales is always about the story, just telling a story.
I don't write this to sell to you.
I'm sharing it with you to show how I tell my story.
I hope you enjoy.
We could be heroes.
Just for 5 days.
We can be us.
As long as we run.
6.7k an hour. On the hour. Every hour. Forever.
Yeah. But wait?
You mean me?
Out there?
With the Big Dogs?
In whose yard?
Sometimes life allows you.
To step way over the edge.
And when you do.
Without knowing what is there.
You find beauty.
The hardest thing is coming back.
Because in the suffering, you can transcend.
Loop 1. Tears of emotion. Whose yard?
Big’s and Laz.
Both big dogs.
Loop 4. Hero’s you said?
Me running with Harvey and Phil.
Oh yes. Dreams and all that. Mine did.
Loop 10.
Tell myself it’s always Loop 1. Why count? I am never stopping. Just like life.
Loop 15.
Rain. Dark, cold rain.
Wonderful, amazing, dark, cold rain.
It’s not the weather. It’s your response.
Loop 19.
Finish your plate. All of it. Every time.
Ultra running is an eating competition.
Loop 24.
3 minutes of sleep. Best sleep ever. Feel brand new.
Loop 29.
One more than my best. Camera in my face. I cry.
Overwhelmed with the privilege of digging into my soul.
Loop 34.
I realise this isn’t about running. This is the people.
The Backyard family. Beautiful kind savages all of them. So much love for them.
Loop 36.
The man. Markus. My crew. Brings my chair to the finish line to save time.
Slowly, I have less time. Markus can bend time.
I must rush by sprinting as slowly as I can.
I charge into the second cold night.
Music. Say what, Jessie? No Price Tag for this.
Caffeine. How much is too much? I’ll find out next time.
Willpower. Yes, you absolutely can. You. Not me. You can.
Mind over me. I am my effort.
55 minutes.
56 minutes.
57 minutes.
Charge. Run. Push. Yes, now, Ned.
I am relentless.
Until I am not.
Loop 41.
The wall wants to stop me.
It pushes on my body and brain.
I push it back. So hard.
I am the wall.
This time it wins.
I walk back after 500m.
Hug Markus.
He made it possible.
And then I stay for the next 3 days as these outstanding humans tell the world what life is about.
Ivo. Belgium hero. He ran 750k. He is 55 years old. So much respect.
Sarah. Huge resolve comes in small humans. She is a giant.
Harvey. The heartbeat of Backyard.
Bagman. He carries a bag of kindness with him every loop.
Phil. From planet Gore. A true alien. He ran for 5 days.
And all of them. Every racer and crew, and staff member who makes this happen. We are family.
Thank you for all the love.
It filled my heart.
And Laz.
Thank you.
They say, “Don’t meet your heroes.”
They are wrong.
You were way better in person.
Thank you for letting me find myself in your yard.
One of the true honours of my life.
Ned.