Adventure. Challenge. Pain. Frustration.

Here's what happens when you run two Ragnar relays in one month.

Here's what happens when you choose friends that spend their Fridays running 100 miles through the Blue Ridge Mountains or Saturdays running 31 miles across railroad tracks that are what look to me to be approximately 5,000 feet above the ground or training for upcoming marathons or Sundays beasting the Chicago Marathon.

My people do things. So, here's what happens.

You crave more.

And make no mistake. I hated the Ragnar Trail. It was miserable. Nothing like the magic of my Ragnar Road.

But still...

When you spend so much time doing hard things and surrounded by people that are also doing hard things and you're all coming out the other side smiling and laughing and embracing, you crave more.

Adventure. Challenge. Pain. Frustration. These are like crack to a runner. These things allow us the opportunity to push through and overcome. And there is no high in the world like overcoming.

So, you spend your Sunday evening sketching out a race and training plan for the next year by visiting websites with words like "ultra" or "extreme" or "beast" in them.

This might not seem like such a ridiculous idea if my left knee and Achilles weren't still in full revolt from this last Ragnar.

But I'm sure they'll heal quickly. We're always sure whatever it is that might get in the way of our running will heal quickly.

Curious what a Ragnar Trail Race is like? Take a look:

These are my people. My crazy, ridiculous people.