Racing Ultra and EGO volumes – Scoot Jurek

“Racing ultras requires absolute confidence tempered with intense humility. To be a champion, you have to believe that you can destroy your competition. But you also have to realize that winning requires total commitment, and a wavering of focus, a lack of drive, a single misstep, might lead to defeat or worse. Had I been too confident, not humble enough?”

Scott Jurek his in book “Eat & Run“, during the 135-mile (217 km) Badwater Ultramarathon, when he felt stuck, overheated, and puking in the middle of the night in the death valley. He eventually won the race and the 100.2 miles (161 km) Western States Endurance Run the same year.

This passage of the book intro struck me immediately since this directly relates to the EGO volume concept that we discuss in length in the EGOALS book: it’s not about having an EGO or not that matters – EGO is highly needed to succeed and progress, but it’s our ability to dial down at appropriate times; remain aware of our limitations and stay humble (“i.e., on the ground) that really makes us successful. Read more here