Oxygen deprivation masks, running in 100-degree heat, overnight long runs after a full day’s work, 400+ pushups in 144-degree temperatures, 22 hours of cross-training per month… why the madness?

Preparation. I’ve run 17 marathons and 14 ultra-marathons, with only one DNF (Did Not Finish)—and that was due to lightning. Did all those runs go smoothly? Not even close. In fact, more than half of those races threw challenges my way. But my preparation gave me the grit to push through and finish strong.

When I train in grueling conditions, I’m conditioning myself for exactly that. Take the Honey Badger 100: the blistering Kansas July heat was barely a factor. The fatigue during the overnight hours was tough, sure, but it never overwhelmed me.

In 34 days, I’ll tackle the Pikes Peak Marathon. I’ve faced this beast once before, and this time, I’m aiming to shave an hour off my finish time. The race is a brutal 13.1-mile ascent, climbing nearly 8,000 feet, followed by an immediate 13.1-mile descent back to the start. The race begins at around 6,000 feet of altitude and peaks at 14,000. The higher you climb, the tougher the terrain and the thinner the air. The final 3 miles to the summit, above the tree line, are an all-out battle. My quads, glutes, and hamstrings will be screaming, and every breath will be a struggle. I might even flirt with altitude sickness during this stretch. And the descent? It’s no walk in the park. With the thin air and treacherous terrain, a single misstep could send me sliding off the trail. By then, I’ll be gasping for oxygen. The air and terrain might ease up around mile 19, but the damage from those miles above the tree line will be done.

When things go sideways in this race, I’ll be ready. I know how to suffer—because I’ve made it a point to embrace suffering in my training. When I toe the starting line, I never think, “I hope I can finish.” I’ve never entered a race without the belief that I will finish—and then I make it happen.

You might be thinking, “I’m not running up a mountain or tackling an ultra.” But what if your October half or full marathon ends up being 87 degrees? Here in Kansas, October can swing from 37 to 87 degrees, depending on the day. If you’ve trained in the afternoons and pushed through some 95-degree runs, then 87 won’t faze you. You’ll know how to handle the heat, and you’ll be armed with a solid hydration strategy.

Go get it!