Endurance sports give me structure when life feels chaotic. Miles are measurable. Effort makes sense. Pain feels productive. For a while, that clarity can feel like purpose.

In this episode, I zoom out on the uncomfortable truth that endurance sports have limits. The miles don’t fix self-worth, resolve identity, or heal everything we try to bury under training. I talk about what happens when the goal stops working, not because of injury or burnout, but because motivation quietly expires. Through stories from the Calendar Year Triple Crown, the Great Western Loop, and learning to slow down, this is an honest look at why I chase big goals and how I’m trying to keep doing hard things for the right reasons.

Sponsors: Sawyer, Janji, Garage Grown Gear, CS Instant Coffee.

Support our Sponsors:

Sawyer: https://www.sawyer.com/

Janji (code: Freeoutside): https://snp.link/a0bfb726

CS Coffee: CSinstant.coffee

Garage Grown Gear: https://snp.link/db1ba8ab

Chapters

00:00 The Journey into Endurance Sports

02:58 Understanding Motivation and Its Limits

12:01 The Role of Endurance Sports in Self-Discovery

18:43 Finding Meaning Beyond Goals

26:12 Reflecting on Personal Growth and Future Directions

Subscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.com

Support this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutside

Buy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSF

Email me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.com

Watch the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outside

Website: www.Freeoutside.com

Instagram: thefreeoutside

facebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutside