The Hard Way: This Mountain Doesn’t Care About Your Feelings
If you want clear, unfiltered advice on how to live smarter, get fitter faster and overcome life’s challenges, you're in the right place – The Hard Way.
In this edition, Joe shares:
- What elevation reveals that comfort hides
- Why movement must become YOUR identity
- How suffering can clear the mind
Joe De Sena here on my phone in Big Bear, California. I’m sitting at just under 8,200 feet elevation, and you feel it. If you haven’t trained, or if you’ve been hiding behind excuses, this mountain pulls that out of you.
Big Bear is one of our toughest courses. The terrain is steep, the elevation unforgiving, and the descent feels just as brutal as the climb. I’ve seen it undo strong athletes who showed up thinking they were ready. You can’t bluff your way through, because you either did the work or you didn’t, and the mountain makes that clear.
Ryan Hall trained here when he was at his peak, using the altitude to strip everything back. We hosted Spartan Games 2 here (if you’ve never watched those episodes, take a look).
Big Bear is a true mental audit, which happens to take place during Mental Health Awareness Month. This reminds me of how movement is tied to the way we think and feel. The problem is, most people treat movement like an occasional fix or a once-a-year commitment. But the benefit only shows up when it becomes a non-negotiable part of who you are. That’s not motivational crap, it’s reality, and when life falls apart your habits are what carry you through. Movement builds clarity, puts structure into chaos, and reminds us that our body still works, even when our heads want to quit.
“It is your attitude, more than your aptitude, that will determine your altitude.”
You Ask, Joe Answers
Q: “Joe, how do you prepare for altitude?” — Can’tBreathe88, TX
A: "You don’t train for air, you train for effort. If your legs and lungs are well conditioned, the altitude becomes another variable, not a wall. But if you’ve been coasting, it’ll find you out fast." — Joe
If you need structure, join the Spartan Run Club. If you need to build raw output and control, try this week’s full-body power session. We’ve got start lines waiting too, so just show up, gear or no gear!
Get it done.
Joe
