We’ve rolled into the new year and I bet a lot of your new year resolutions include something about getting in better shape or living a healthier lifestyle, I know mine does. But how come every year it seems like most of us fail to meet these goals we’ve set for ourselves? Perhaps the goals we set are too far out there? Maybe setting difficult or seemingly impossible goals will help. I read about these monks in Japan who are some of the best but unknown endurance runners in the world. These monks run a marathon that is 8 years long and equivalent to the distance around the equator.

The first three years the monk will run approximately 18 miles a day along narrow paths in the mountains in nothing more than a pair if straw sandals and a robe (sorry, no state of the art running shoes or other gear). He must do this up and down trek along the mountains paths for 100 straight days during each of the three years. He starts at 1:30 in the morning each day and he needs to return by 9:00 AM because he is not excused from his regular daily chores which he also must complete each day.

In years four and five, the monk will travel the same narrow mountain path in the early morning hours, but increase the time to 200 straight days no matter what the weather - come rain, come snow, even come hurricanes.
Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 2% [?]