It’s a wet November night time right here in Oregon. As I sit in my bus tapping out sentences on my telephone, rain patters on the roof overhead. I’ve spent the day working, making telephone calls, and serving to my girlfriend Jess construct an A-frame home. At this level within the day, I’m feeling fairly drained, so I sip heat matcha as I work to corral my ideas.
My mind hones in on one thing I’ve been fascinated by in latest days; the idea of extra. You’ve in all probability heard the saying much less is extra. It’s a reasonably widespread and straightforward to know phrase. It’s merely the concept that having much less of one thing is healthier than having extra of it. For instance, when tapering for a race, you may remind your self that much less is extra, as a result of the principle goal is to relaxation up for race day, not put in additional laborious miles.
In recent times, nevertheless, I’ve seen individuals utilizing an identical, however very totally different phrase. Maybe you’ve heard it as nicely. It’s the phrase “extra is extra.” I’ve largely, perhaps solely, heard it utilized inside the context of endurance sports activities. To be sincere, its which means has felt a bit perplexing.
Jess’s home beginning to take form. Photograph: Zach Miller
Initially, I wasn’t certain what individuals meant once they stated, “extra is extra.” Have been they expressing that doing extra of one thing, like working, was higher than doing much less of it? In different phrases, is working extra weekly mileage higher than working much less? Or, had been they merely saying that having extra of one thing wasn’t essentially higher or worse, simply extra. By this practice of thought, working 140 miles every week isn’t essentially higher than working 70 miles every week. Possibly it’s, perhaps it isn’t. All we actually know is that it’s extra miles.
Taking a more in-depth look, I feel they meant the previous of those two concepts. This could make sense as a result of the concept that having extra of one thing is healthier than having much less of it’s the reverse of the beforehand talked about “much less is extra” phrase. Reverse statements with reverse meanings; the logic appears to take a look at.
However why am I even speaking about this? Fact is, over the previous week or so I’ve been fascinated by humankind’s obsession with “extra.” Why is it that human beings get so caught up on this four-letter phrase? As endurance athletes we are able to simply discover ourselves wanting extra miles, extra vert, extra races, extra private data, and extra victories.
Zach Miller taking a break on a latest coaching run within the Grand Canyon. Photograph: Rob Krar
On this planet outdoors of working, we appear drawn to different issues. Folks attempt to earn more money. Corporations push for progress. Folks lengthy for a larger return on their investments. We wish a stronger economic system and extra money in our pockets, however the place does this seemingly endless push take us?
On this planet of working, “extra” could be a harmful factor to chase. Positive, there are occasions when the pursuit is sweet. Extra miles will help to make us fitter and stronger. Extra depth will help to hone our pace. However, as many runners are conscious, an excessive amount of of these items can backfire with a vengeance. The development will not be at all times optimistic.
I can’t assist however suppose that life is similar. Absolutely extra has its limits. It could possibly’t presumably be an infinite trajectory void of adverse repercussions. Sooner or later, extra turns into much less.
Exterior the rain continues to fall. I don’t count on that it’s going to final ceaselessly. It by no means does. Like many issues in life, it has its time and place. A rain that by no means stops could be dangerous for progress, as would one which by no means begins. In any case, much less is extra, extra is extra, and generally, extra is much less. No single mantra is the key, simply the knowledge of all three.
Name for Feedback
- What do you consider the phrase “extra is extra?”
- Do you suppose it leads individuals to fall right into a entice of overtraining, or wanting an excessive amount of from their working?
- And what about this concept’s software to the remainder of our lives? Is there one thing we are able to be taught from the phrase in working than applies to on a regular basis life?