Accepting The 4x4x48 Challenge
On March 5, I accepted and took on the David Goggins 4x4x48 challenge. The rules were simple; run four miles, every four hours, for 48 hours. Goggins removed barriers for entry. This made it free, virtual and you didn't even have to run. You could walk, bike, workout, row, stretch, whatever. Ultimately, you just had to do something for 40 minutes every four hours for two days.
So, why did I decide to participate in this?
I was listening to Goggins’ audiobook, Can’t Hurt Me, when I first came across the 4x4x48 challenge. It piqued my interest. But, could I complete this challenge? I knew he could inspire me to do great things. I was fortunate to see Goggins speak a few years ago with Team Never Quit in New York City, and that event inspired me to row a marathon in my garage. I added that to my cookie jar, a term he spoke of frequently.
“The cookie jar became a concept I’ve employed whenever I need a reminder of who I am and what I’m capable of.”
After completing my first ultramarathon in 2020, I knew I had a solid running base. Now, I needed to find out if I could mentally commit and line up the support I needed around me to attack this challenge. I checked in with my wife, who I needed support from so she could hold it down at the house while I literally hit the ground running.
I knew the only way for me to really challenge myself was to run. It’s still cold in New York and as someone who doesn’t really enjoy running, I could have simply stayed in doors on various exercise machines and turned this into a “don’t sleep challenge.”
No, in my mind it was running or bust.
Planning was key. Even Goggins encouraged his followers to plan ahead and to be organized. About two weeks out, I flipped my mindset to getting it done right. I started running again while also fitting in two workouts per day, just to see if my body would hold up. Even at this point, I wasn’t committing, at least not publicly. I felt good, my diet was on point and my training was hitting a stride that I hadn't felt in years. Still, did I have what it took to accrue 48 miles in 48 hours? Like me, David Goggins understands the reality of capacity. I continued learning lessons from Can’t Hurt Me.
“We don’t all have the same floor or ceiling, but we each have a lot more in us than we know. ”
But, at the same time, Goggins knows our minds limit our potential way before the body even gets started.
“Sadly, most of us give up when we’ve only given around 40-percent of our maximum effort.”
By Tuesday, March 2, I was finally declaring. I’m doing it. I’m in!
I prepped my clothes, with plenty of layers to rotate throughout the days. I also made sure I had plenty of food in the house to snack on throughout the weekend. I charged my headphones, planned my routes and avoided any workouts that could impact how I felt.
So, what was my purpose for doing this challenge?
It is one thing to attack this from a physical standpoint. Running 40-plus miles in a weekend is not easy. Mentally, I wanted to attach a little more to it. One was charity, the other was my why.
The sport of wrestling has taught me so many lessons in life. Like this challenge and the lessons Goggins teaches, wrestling will stretch your mind and body while also translating to the real world. If part of me competing came from the mat, then I wanted to offer kids the same opportunity. I believe life is all about opportunity. After having that opportunity, then we put the work in. Beat The Streets, whose mission is to develop the full human and athletic potential of urban youth, felt like the perfect platform to raise money for. Giving to deserving kids in urban communities, I could commit $10 per mile. At the same time, I could also encourage friends and family to pitch in if they felt inspired through my actions.
In addition to raising money, my why needed to be explored. I knew I could attack each run with a unique theme, something to keep me focussed and motivated every four hours. We’ll explore those themes in Part II when we talk about the run. No one knew, but I had planned to record a video after each run, with a special thank you or insight based on what was motivating me.
Nerves started getting to me the day of the run. Once my responsibilities at work were taken care of, I started getting those pregame vibes. Visualizing the first run, checking the weather and obsessing over making sure my clothes were properly arranged, which became an hourly routine. I prepared dinner for the family. I had my final meal and as we got the kids ready for bed, I started mentally retreating from dad mode and into the challenge.
The mindset wasn't perfect; doubt crept in, my legs got heavy and I thought everything felt slightly off. That was okay. In a weird way, it told me I was ready. The sun was down and the kids were sleeping, It was time to get dressed and go. I kissed my wife, like Adrian to Rocky before his first fight with Apollo Creed. She simply said “good luck.” She had my back and she knew I could do it.
Nothing else needed to be said.
Check out Part II here