An ultramarathon, a book, a flood and a prayer
Cory Vaillancourt photo
On the weekend of Sept. 20-21, I went to the Grindstone 100-Mile Ultramarathon at Natural Chimneys Park in Virginia, where my oldest son was a participant. 294 runners took part in this grueling ordeal. Of these, 168 finished the race in the required time of 36 hours.
That physical conditioning counts big-time in this event goes without saying, but mental and spiritual strength matter just as much, if not more. 43-year-old Mark Harris of Nashville, who has run several ultras, offered these thoughts: “You feel absolutely bulletproof and strong at times, and at other times your brain is doing its best to try and stop you. Pain and doubt creep in, and it’s endlessly fascinating to me the gymnastics one part of your brain will go through to try and convince you to stop. You need to squash those negative thoughts any way possible. The mental side of how you keep going is just as important as the physical training.”
On Monday, Sept. 23, I visited my local library looking for a couple of books and came across Ryan Holiday’s “Discipline Is Destiny: The Power of Self-Control” (Portfolio, 2022, 352 pages). Arriving home, I flipped open the book and found myself instantly hooked, so much so that I intend to order a copy for each of my grown children and for myself as well.
Perhaps having just returned from Grindstone played into this attraction. Though Holiday centers his attention on the virtue of temperance and self-control, the book is also a study in fortitude, about staying strong in the face of disaster and suffering. Holiday takes figures from history and the world of sports, like Winston Churchill, Lou Gehrig, Queen Elizabeth II and Martin Luther King Jr., blends them with personal anecdotes and stoic philosophy and gives readers superb advice on how practicing self-discipline and courage can guide us through hard times and disaster.
One example Holiday brings to his book is Ernest Shackleton and his ill-fated 1915 Arctic expedition, when he and his entire crew had their ship destroyed by ice. They journeyed by life boats 350 miles to dry land, Elephant Island, where they appeared destined to die by starvation or exposure. Boldly, Shackleton and some of his men set out again in the boats, traveled more than 700 miles seeking help, and arrived safely on South Georgia Island. There he immediately raised monies for a ship and supplies, and eventually rescued the rest of his shipwrecked crew.
Not a man was lost in all these maneuverings.
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Shackleton’s original ship was “Endurance.” His family motto was “Fortitudine vincimus.” By endurance we conquer.
Which brings me to the disaster and wreckage inflicted at the end of that same week on our communities, businesses, and homes here in the mountains.
The floodwaters brought by heavy rains and Hurricane Helene have cost many residents of Appalachia their homes, possessions, vehicles and livelihoods. Far worse, some people lost loved ones and acquaintances. If you are among these mourners, you have my heartfelt sympathies.
To move forward following such a horrific event of water, mud and fallen trees will not be easy. It will require the fortitude of those long-distance runners and the can-do attitude of a Shackleton. For some of you, the loss of meaningful possessions — pictures, letters, personal valuables — along with rebuilding your lives may bring a feeling of hopelessness. In times like these, stay strong, and remember that perseverance and heart can make all the difference in moving ahead.
“Does endurance always conquer?” asks Holiday in in his book. “Of course not. But nobody wins by throwing in the towel. Nobody wins with weakness.
“We will taste pain on this journey, that’s a fact. We will be given a million opportunities to stop, and a million reasons why that’s okay.
“But we can’t. And it’s not.
“We keep going.”
For those who came out of the flood without suffering damage, here’s your chance to shine as a morale booster for your neighbors. Consider adopting Mark Harris’s thoughts on how family and friends should support their ultramarathoners as they pass through the aid station during their run: “Absolutely bathe them in positivity. ‘You're doing great, you can do this.’ You're helping them to counterbalance the negative thoughts in their heads. Help the part of their brain that wants to get through this win over that part of the brain that wants to stop.”
One last word: From 1983 to 2016, Waynesville and then Asheville were home to me. I loved both places, and seeing the photos and videos of the damage done by the floodwaters in places like Frog Level and Lexington Avenue were sickening.
Someday my flesh and bones will return to Waynesville. I’ll be buried in Green Hill Cemetery alongside my wife, Kris. Engraved on our tombstone is a prayer: “Deus Vobiscum.” God be with you.
That’s my prayer for all of you, dear readers, in the days to come.
(Jeff Minick can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..)
