While stuck in traffic for three hours on the way back from Comrades the evening after the race, I sat in the car contemplating whether I would ever volunteer at the Comrades again. It had been a long day; we had all worked exceptionally hard and were hungry, tired, and not in the volunteering mood anymore. I didn’t share this thought with my friends, but I’m sure we all felt the same way then. Yet, as the week progressed, the idea of helping out again seemed more and more appealing to me.

Wanting to tackle something challenging and hard again after hardly finishing it is not uncommon – and certainly not reserved just for runners or volunteers. I signed up for my next marathon merely two days after completing my first – and I had a tough day on the road during that first marathon! Many Comrades runners are already itching to start training for Comrades 2025.

But why do we keep wanting to put ourselves through such hardship? To an outsider, it must look like self-inflicted suffering.

When I consider the emotions I experience when taking on something challenging, it usually goes like this: At first, there’s the excitement of signing up or deciding that this is something I will do. Then there are months of training, planning, and hard work to get everything into place. This phase often involves significant time, energy, and monetary sacrifices, as well as frustration and exhaustion. When D-day finally arrives, it’s accompanied by a surge of nervous energy and the greatest feeling of accomplishment once everything is done. Finally, there’s usually a bit of an anti-climax as I deal with the aftermath: cleaning up, recovering, and healing any injuries. Then, after I’ve recovered, I find myself wanting to do it again or set my sights on an even bigger goal.

This process was unfamiliar to me until I started training for marathons. I didn’t grow up with examples of others chasing goals and dreams. And no, it’s not even the same as losing 80kg (176lbs). While standing on the scale after losing all that weight felt like a great accomplishment, it’s not a process I wish to go through again. It was more of a healing journey than a ‘live life fully’ experience. Now that I’ve tasted living a life with purpose, chasing goals and growing, I can’t imagine living any other way. Anything else would feel… empty.

I guess that’s why we do it. It’s in setting goals, working hard towards them, and finally achieving them that we grow and truly live fully.

When last did you do something that excited or scared you or pushed your limits?