If you have done a multi-day event at some stage in your life, I suspect you will know what I am talking about when I say these experiences are so vastly different from a one-day race.
Years ago, when I was interviewed on what makes the Wildcoast Wildrun so special, I began by describing the two most well-known elements to any successful run - physical ability and mental preparedness. These are the obvious ones, the elements that any coach, runner, friend, well-to-do family member will tell you. 'When the going gets tough, it becomes a mental game' and 'Your body gives up way before your mind does' - and as Lynn Jennings was famously quoted as saying, “Mental will is a muscle that needs exercise, just like the muscles of the body.”
The bottom line is, a well trained body and mind gets you through the hard times. But there is a third element that plays a significant role in multi-day events, and that is the emotional rollercoaster. This rollercoaster is amplified as the ride of your life by sharing an intimate journey with like-minded people.
Emotional Highs and Lows
The emotional spectrum in a multi-day race is vast. Runners experience moments of extreme frustration, doubt and even despair, but they also encounter overwhelming joy, gratitude and personal revelation. These emotions are heightened by the duration of the event—there is enough time for mental struggles to set in, but also enough time to process and overcome them.
Many runners describe reaching an emotional 'breaking point' at some stage in the race, only to be lifted by an encouraging word from a fellow competitor or a shared laugh at an aid station. The communal aspect of these races helps participants ride the emotional waves together, making them feel less alone in their struggles.
The community on multi-day runs includes the crew (and the culture they bring) as well as your fellow runners - who by the very fact that they are joining you in the next few days of suffering, are likeminded. Everyone on the event wants you to succeed, they want to help in your journey to the end. Day races - you race, you suffer, you put on a brave face, share your war stories and you go home. On multi-day races, you find out others are suffering just like you, and that's ok!
The Psychological Resilience Factor
Multi-day events push participants far beyond their comfort zones. Running on consecutive days means dealing with accumulated exhaustion, mental fatigue and moments of deep self-doubt. The psychological resilience required to push forward despite these challenges strengthens a runners emotional fortitude.
Sports psychologist Dr. Carla Meijen, who specializes in endurance sports, notes:
"Endurance athletes experience a psychological shift during long races. The mind adapts to the struggle, finding motivation through companionship, small victories and the knowledge that others are enduring the same challenges."
The presence of fellow runners helps counteract the moments of despair. Seeing someone else struggle yet persist provides a sense of mutual encouragement. Often, runners who might be on the verge of giving up find new strength by receiving or offering support to others.
In the case of the Wildcoast Wildrun, there is an intimacy with the landscape that also brings in another incredible element - with the route choices being your own, everyone has a different story to tell - and let me tell you, if you get overtaken by someone who was behind you and all of a sudden they are ahead, well, you want to find out how!!
At the stage one briefing, everyone is nervously holding their best positive mindset. The training, the travel, the anticipation. The key thoughts spinning around in the grey matter at this moment is about your physical and mental state. Emotions - other than excitement - are largely in check. By the end of stage 1, the realisation of the journey has kicked in but there is still a level of trepidation given only a 1/3 of the total journey is complete. But, after a massage, some delicious food from the hotels, and a beer or three, the flood of shared stories and emotions starts to creep out. The emotional rollercoaster has begun. At the end of stage 2, the back is broken and just 33km separates you from the end of a 112km journey. Now there is a touch of 'woah, slow down I don't want this to end'. A double layer of suffering and experience magnifies the emotional perspective and state of mind. Like the ground has shifted slightly, something has found its way into the heart and soul. There is a change.
Many multi-day runners describe their experiences as deeply spiritual or even life-changing. Being immersed in nature for extended periods, enduring personal hardship and sharing raw, unfiltered moments with others fosters a sense of connection to something greater than oneself.
In his book Born to Run, Christopher McDougall captures this sentiment:
"The reason we race isn’t so much to beat each other... but to be with each other."
This shared human experience—of suffering, perseverance and triumph—can lead to profound personal transformations. Runners often leave multi-day events with a renewed sense of gratitude, humility and appreciation for the simple joys of life.
Multi-day running races are a masterclass in emotional endurance. They challenge runners not just physically, but also mentally and spiritually. The prolonged exposure to hardship and triumph, the deep connections formed with fellow competitors, and the personal breakthroughs along the way create an unforgettable emotional experience. For many, these races become far more than just a test of endurance—they become a journey of self-discovery, human connection and personal transformation.
Always at the start of stage 3, there is an element of sadness that this totally physical, mental and emotionally immersive journey is in its final crescendo. But then it's back to one foot in front of the other until you crest that final hill and you are confronted with that magnificent scene. Many many people, including me, have sat upon that hill looking down on the incredible scene below and shed a tear. Why? Hell, the view for one, but the sheer magnificence of having achieved the physical, pushed through the mental and having opened yourself to the emotional rollercoaster, all ram home in one spine-tingling moment.
Sure, this could be said of any finish line, but the Hole-in-the-Wall and the 112km journey to get there; Life changing.