Another Wednesday is upon us and so is another Wednesday Word from Debbie. This week’s word prompt is fearless. I’m not sure, but she may have had this past weekend’s Ragnar Relay on her mind when she came up with this one. Be sure to click on the button below to see who else is joining in on the Wednesday Word linkup and to link up yourself.
Fearless
without fear; bold or brave; intrepid
As I mentioned, this past weekend I ran the Ragnar Relay Trail Richmond race on an ultra team. I ended up not running in the dark as much as I was expecting to. But I still had two loops totaling about 10-11 miles that were in the dark.
I am really not a fan of the dark – I keep flashlights strategically stashed throughout our house in case the power goes out. I can’t see as well when it gets dark and I don’t like not knowing what’s around me. I also feel like 90% of the bad things that happen in life always happen at night. But signing up for a Ragnar event is a chance to face your fears and step out of your comfort zone, and that’s exactly what I did this weekend.
Lucky for me, our group had two ultra teams so that we could pair up and have a buddy to run with (Debbie was my buddy). Thank goodness we did, because I really don’t think I could run trails by myself at night. I am a little bit braver when I have someone with me, but I’m still not a huge fan of being out in the dark – especially in the woods. This weekend, as Debbie and I ran together, I was the one leading. Although I didn’t say anything to Debbie about it, this actually made it scarier for me during our night legs. It would have been much easier for me to just mindlessly follow her and ignore the darkness around us. But it made more sense, pace-wise, for me to be the one in the lead and it was good for me. We made it through and although my fear of the dark is nowhere near gone, I definitely know better how to manage it.
I don’t think there’s any such thing as being fearless. Everyone has something that frightens them. But I think we can all embody fearlessness by managing our fears and being brave in the face of them.
Are you fearless? How do you deal with your fears?
Turkey Runner 
I definitely would have been scared running a trail in the dark – every little noise would have spooked me! But it does feel good to face our fears and push through them!
All this from the kid who couldn’t go to bed without the lights on. The trails were lit and the headlamps were on. At least at this Ragnar there were no children of the corn.
LUD.
Yes! The Children of the Corn in Maryland (and my midnight race with a train) were scary!!
I enjoy night running, but a trail is an entire different ball game. I’d like to have a running biddy along with me as well 😉
I don’t think I could do that running in the dark portion of a Ragnar! Sometimes I run in the zero dark thirty hours here, but it’s in my neighborhood and not really scary at all! I’d for sure want to do the Ragnar night runs with a friend.
I think you nailed it: Ragnar is amazing for facing down your fears! And it sounds like you nailed that trail run, too. Way to go!
I would be so afraid of tripping! I have to say, I’ve never ran in the dark before. Especially trails. Thank goodness for running buddies! I wish I had one!
By the way congrats on finishing the Ragnar! What an accomplishment!
Yes, tripping is definitely an issue while running trails at night. It’s already an issue for me in the daylight 🙂
You did great on your Ragnar! I’m not scared of the dark, per se, but I do have other fears. I try to face them head on, because that’s really the only way. It’s not always successful, but we do our best!
So glad you had a running buddy. I would have wanted one too!
Congrats on Ragnar!
When i did Ragnar DC and had to run through the night in the pitch dark….I was FEARFUL!!! like I want my mommy fearful!!!
I’ve done both Ragnar road and trail relays and I honestly feel like the road relay was scarier at night. On trails you’re at least just running loops through the woods of a campground. But for the road relay you’re often running through rural areas or through an unfamiliar town in the dark.
Good for you for facing that fear head on!!! You’re very brave because I would not have been able to do that! Glad you had Deb to run with!
Ha — I read your Dad’s comment. Children of the Corn was spooky! I run in the dark all the time, in the safety of my neighborhood. If you stuck me out in the woods and it would be a whole different ballgame! You did great. I know you appreciated Deb as your running buddy.
He was referencing my night leg from Ragnar road relay in DC in 2014. I ran through a very rural part of Maryland and the road was lined with corn the whole way. It was rustling as I ran along and it was SO spooky!
Way to kick that fear away! I’m sure running with Deb helps lots! but you put the fear aside and that’s awesome! Great job!
Definitely not fearless, sometimes I let them get the best of me & sometimes I don’t. Running trails in the dark would definitely make me fearful!
You know, as I wrote my post on being fearless, I wondered if I should have offered to lead during the night runs. You should have asked if you would have preferred that, but at least you faced your fear. I was clueless that you were uncomfortable – go me! HaHa!
Thanks for linking up!