Every mile. Every setback. Every lesson. Every decision. This weekend was simply where it all came together.
This weekend I completed a 24-hour track race. Having completed a 6 and 12 hour event before 24 h was on the agenda for some time, This weekend just fell in line with my plans.
On paper, the result says 2nd place. But if you’d asked me a year ago what success would look like, I don’t think I would have described a podium.
The race threw everything at us. Twenty-seven-degree heat during the day, relentless wind on one corner of the track a cold night that tested clothing and every decision, then rain to finish it all off. Twenty-four hours of constant adaptation, problem-solving and staying present.
The biggest difference wasn’t the weather. It was me.
I’ve had races in the past where things haven’t gone to plan. I’ve experienced setbacks, disappointment and failures that left me questioning what I was capable of and if ultra running is really for me. Those moments are hard, but they also teach you lessons that success never will. It is easy to throw in the towel call for help and return to comfort.
There were moments where it would have been easy to panic, chase people down, change the strategy or let emotion dictate my decisions. Instead, I kept coming back to the process. Eat. Drink. Run. Recover. Repeat. One lap at a time. One hour at a time.
That’s what 24-hour racing really is. It’s not one heroic moment. It’s hundreds of small decisions made consistently when you’re tired, uncomfortable and your mind is looking for excuses.
Standing on the podium was incredibly rewarding, but the result isn’t what I’m taking away from the weekend Because it doesn’t mean that much to me.
The thing that fills me with the most confidence happened on Monday morning.
I woke up with no niggles. No injuries. No damage. Just tired eyes and a body that had recovered exactly as it had been trained too.
That didn’t happen by accident.
It came from months of consistent training. Long runs when no one was watching. Strength work. Recovery sessions. Listening to my body instead of my ego. Learning from every race that didn’t go the way I wanted. Every failure became feedback, and every setback became another opportunity to improve.
That’s the part people rarely see.
Success isn’t built on race day. It’s built on the ordinary days when motivation is low, when the weather isn’t perfect, when no medals are on offer and you choose to show up anyway.
This weekend wasn’t just proof that I could race well for 24 hours. It was proof that the work works.
Failure doesn’t define you. Quitting does. If you quit there is no way back.
Every setback I’ve experienced has quietly been preparing me for a performance like this. Without those disappointments, I wouldn’t have had the patience, discipline or confidence to execute the race the way I did.
I’m grateful for every lesson, every difficult race and every person who’s supported me along the way.
The podium is a brilliant memory.
But becoming the athlete who could execute a 24-hour race with discipline, resilience and enough strength to wake up the next morning ready to run again—that’s the achievement I’m most proud of.
The work continues.
(103 miles completed in 24h)
Mike.
UltraEnduranceLab