The 63km That Changed Everything

After 10 hours of running through Cappadocia's trails, I crossed the finish line still standing. That's when I knew I had to go back—for 119km.

Why 63km Felt Impossible

My marathons had been city affairs—42km of asphalt, crowds, and repetitive scenery. Each one left me drained, wondering how anyone could go further.

Trail running was different. The CMT Cappadocia trail offered solitude, technical challenges, and changing landscapes. Still, 63km felt like my ceiling.

I convinced myself this was just prep for an ultra "someday"—a mental trick to make the distance manageable. But during training, something shifted. Going beyond started feeling possible.

Three Moments That Changed Everything

Halfway through, I met a woman doing the 119km route. She didn't look like a superhuman athlete. She looked normal. Like me. My mental model of "who can do ultras" shattered.

Later, I paced alongside another runner for 30 minutes. We pushed each other until I pulled ahead. I discovered gears I didn't know existed.

After 10 hours, I expected to collapse at the finish line. Instead, I was still upright, mind clear: I've got more in the tank.


That evening, I watched the livestream. There she was—crossing the 119km finish line. The decision made itself. I was signing up for 119km.

What the Trail Taught Me

Break it down: next aid station, plan what to eat, check water levels. Focus on the immediate. Step by step, the impossible becomes inevitable.

During tough moments, David Goggins' voice: "Stay hard!" His stories of pushing past mental limits became my internal coach.

Trail running strips you to essentials—just you, the path, your thoughts. In that solitude, I discovered my mental strength exceeded my physical limits.

That 63km taught me something beyond running: our perceived limits are mental constructs waiting to be questioned. The woman doing 119km looked normal because she was normal. She'd simply decided it was possible.

The Flame That Started Everything

That 63km CMT didn't just teach me about running—it ignited the flame that led me to complete the 119km CUT. The woman who looked normal, the gears I didn't know I had, the realization that limits are often just stories we tell ourselves.

Sometimes the most important races aren't the longest ones—they're the ones that show you what's really possible.

What mental barriers have you discovered were just illusions?