It's OK just to do things for fun
Over the last couple of months I’ve largely replaced listening to news, politics, and sports podcasts with those dedicated to philosophy, adventure, and creativity. I’d recommend it.
I’ve listened to a lot of episodes of The Adventure Podcast which I’ve enjoyed greatly. This particular one features Dr Mark Hines who is both an academic and ultra endurance athlete. Like many who appear on the podcast, he’s an interesting and humble guy.
In particular, I wanted to surface something he says quite close to the end of the episode, around 1h 25m in. He talks about there being “too much focus on the idea that doing something you enjoy is somehow wrong.” What I think he means is that there’s an expectation these days that you do things to “inspire others,” raise money or for reason other than your own enjoyment.
It’s a good reminder, for me at least, that it’s OK just to do things because it’s fun — whether or not other people agree.
Episode 194 of The Adventure Podcast features exercise physiologist and endurance athlete, Dr Mark Hines. Mark is a senior lecturer in exercise physiology at Oxford Brookes University, with a background in ultra endurance racing of the gnarliest kind. If it’s long, cold, snowy and potentially deadly, then Mark has probably raced it. In this episode, Mark shares the story of how he got into endurance racing, starting from his childhood experiences of camping and cross country running, to eventually being inspired by a Ben Fogle documentary to compete in the Marathon des Sables. He discusses his academic journey in exercise physiology, emphasising how his own fitness journey and desire to understand the science behind it motivated his studies. This conversation then delves into the physical and mental challenges of endurance racing, with Mark providing detailed insights into his experiences, including the importance of proper preparation, problem-solving, and the emotional and mental impact of these extreme events.
Source & image: The Adventure Podcast