BOOYAH. That’s the 2026 Lea Valley 50K – my first (and not inconceivably last) #ultra done & dusted. It was ugly and graceless, and I was a hot mess deee-lux, but it was fun, FSVO “fun,” and finished, which is all I really cared about.
Now to sleep for three days straight.
I cannot *tell* you how good I feel today: some blend of exalted, grounded and deeply satisfied, the feeling that attends the completion of a major life goal.
Whether it’s ultimately for completely healthy reasons or not, I aspire to multispectral competence at the high end of the dial, and knocking down runs in excess of marathon distance is a great way to scratch that itch.
Bonus: I no longer have to deal with “The Rise of the Ultra Runners” reproaching me from my bookshelf – at least, not in quite the same way.
Adam Greenfield