But as far as I can conclude, the reasons for putting ourselves into situations and activities we didn't think possible are as different as we are from one another.
Motivation can come from many sources, like raising funds for charity or to improve health. Motivation is needed but it's not at the heart of WHY we choose to do what we do.
It's been a relatively quiet few weeks since I was out in the hills. Training is going steady (although I feel I should be doing more) and if I am honest, a little anti-climatic after the Edinburgh Marathon.
So I decided to take some time to really understand the 'why' of what I am attempting this year and not just the motivations. Everyone else might be talking about '50 Shades of Grey' but I want to explore the 'black & white' of myself - no shades of grey in my psyche!
Physically I've never been fitter or stronger. But I'm having bouts of self doubt and worry that I'll be able to finish the 105miles for Scotland Coast to Coast which is causing havoc with my training as I'm pushing too hard and know full well I'm going to end up injured at some point if I carry on.
It all boils down to the fact that I'm not really sure why I'm doing it. Why would I subject myself to discomfort, chafing, exhaustion and hours and hours of solitary training?
- Do I need to prove myself to anyone?
- Do I need to prove anything to myself?
- Do I need another tech t-shirt or medal?
- Am I crazy for thinking someone like me could be considered a runner or capable of doing an event like this?
The answer is no to all of them. When I decided to do these challenges this year, it did start out as something to prove to myself and yes, I enjoyed the thought of people thinking I was slightly nuts for doing it and the surprise on my family's face when I told them.
But as the journey through my training has progressed, my reasons have changed.
At the core of it is the sense of freedom and release that comes when doing any endurance or long distance sessions. The events themselves are just a 'focus' point - a time and place against which to work towards whereby some of the logistical needs are taken care of.
This little 'eureka' moment came to me one day while sat on a train passing through the Lake District in the UK. All I wanted to do was get outside and run around in the hills. Couldn't work out why this was until I remembered it had been a difficult day, my mind full of all the things I 'had to do' and I was feeling a little wound up.
But my mind was craving the freedom, the space or even the time to just decompress and recover and the best way it knew how. Just like the body craves fluid when it's dehydrated, or food when it's hungry, the mind craves space when packed full.
Just running - moving from one point to another in whatever time you want is such a release from the constraints of our everyday lives. It is for me.
I might have sore feet. My nipples may be rubbed red raw from the chafing of my top. I may get cold, wet, hungry and thirsty. I might even twist an ankle or pull a muscle. But all of these things are temporary and can quickly be forgotten once destination reached and needs satiated.
What lasts for so much longer and makes us so much stronger is the mental wellbeing that our minds achieve. The psychological boost that we get not just from endorphine release, but from giving our minds the opportunity to 'roam' without anything to be focused on because our bodies are taking care of business.
So the next question I have to answer having reached this conclusion is........what am I going to do after the Coast to Coast challenge?
Current favourites are the traverse of Hadrians Wall (69miles) in 24hours, Bob Graham Round in the Lake District, Caledonian Challenge (52miles in 24hours - I walked it in 2003 but fancy running it now) or even the Paris, Athens or Boston marathons to give it an international flavour. Whatever I decide, the education of this year will last me a lifetime and continue to take me forward.
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