Written by Nicholas Richards (Nov. 13, 2025)
To me Ultrarunning is not just a sport – it’s a pilgrimage. Every mile strips away illusion until only truth remains. A truth that is undeniable and impossible to hide from. Through this crucible of exhaustion and solitude, I’ve adopted three main symbols to simplify the experiences and lessons – the Crow, the Dragon, and the Wizard.
Each symbolizes a stage of the ultrarunner’s evolution, a layer of consciousness that I choose to move through as I suffer, adapt, and awaken. Running in itself is the most primal act. Running really far becomes more than physical, and even more than mental after a certain point. It becomes spiritual.
I use these symbols as a means to objectify all the thoughts, emotions, and sensations I go through in training, events, and even recovery. They represent different stages – preparation, execution, and consolidation – but I’ll draw upon the power of each if I need to.
The Crow: Preparation and Visualization
At the start of my first marathon we had to take a bus to the start line. Along the way I was thinking how far the bus was driving and that my feet would have to carry me back to where we left. A crow flew in front of the bus along our path long enough for me to notice. I watched it as it seemingly led the way.
The Crow symbol helps ground me. It’s there at the start of every race, or even training runs. It represents doubt, the ache of old wounds, the pain echoing from what we thought we’d left behind. When shadows lurk and doubt creeps in, it’s the clarity to see the path forward when the trail feels endless and purpose blurs.
The Crow may seem like the enemy at first, but it isn’t there to hinder us. It’s there to teach us. To remind us of why we started. It forces us to look inward and acknowledge the fear and insecurity – the shadow – that we hide from in daily life. It reminds us how far we’ve come, and urges us to be aware even through the darkness.
In ultrarunning, the Crow reminds me that you cannot outrun yourself. The preparation and training will show up. Trust the process and the work you’ve put in.
The Crow knows.
The Dragon: The Fire Within
Once we’ve made peace with the Crow, the Dragon awakens. It’s the surge of primal energy that rises when it gets tough. It always gets tough. The Dragon is power, strength of will, and sacred rage – the force that transforms suffering into motion. It burns away excuses, distractions, and ego.
During my 1st 100 Mile event, I had someone volunteer to pace me from 102km to the finish. It was going to be late at night so I figured a fresh mind and some company would be very helpful. It was around 2am when I got to the pacer pickup location, but nobody was there. Not a soul around.
Alone in the dark, I saw a crow feather on the ground just as I resolved to finish it no matter what. That’s when the Dragon emerged. (You can read more about that HERE)
The Dragon is not gentle – it is chaos turned into fuel. Every climb, every lap, every hour of relentless forward motion feeds its fire. When the body is breaking down and the mind is frayed, the Dragon says:
“I am still here. Keep going.”
But fire without wisdom can destroy. The Dragon’s lesson is control through surrender — to harness power without being consumed by it. It reminds me that you should be willing to pull as much as push, respectfully aware of the need for balance.
Motivation felt very negative after being ghosted at Capes, so I wanted to finish to prove to that person I didn’t need them anyway. I didn’t want to finish it out of bitterness, so I became thankful to this person for allowing me to see how deep I could go. I finished it.
Let the fire burn in your soul. Let it feed you and empower you.
The Wizard: The Alchemist of the Miles
Beyond darkness and fire lies understanding. The Wizard is the part that has been through the storm – who has learned to see beauty in pain and meaning in struggle. He knows that every mile, every blister, every tear was part of the spell – a ritual of becoming.
The Wizard runs not for time or distance, but for truth. He alchemizes suffering into wisdom, solitude into peace, and lessons into written words. He is presence embodied – the stillness between breaths on a foggy morning, the gratitude after the finish line, the knowing smile that says, I’ve been here before.
The Wizard is what remains when the body fades and the spirit keeps running. Especially after big events where psychologically I am beyond fatigued, the Wizard helps sort through the existential paradox and the imposter syndrome. Writing about it all helps, offering closure to what is a very powerful experience or insights into experiences yet to come.
The Wizard; wise and objective.
The Trinity of the Trail
These three will whisper in my ear as the miles unfold and experiences reveal themselves.
The Crow reminds me to stay grounded and see beauty in the decay of my old self. It helps me understand that growth is not linear nor is it easy and that shedding layers is transformation.
The Dragon is my inner fire. A fierce, defiant energy that burns fatigue, fear, and the negative voices that always swirl like shadows.
The Wizard is ever watchful, wise, and translates pain into wisdom. He turns discomfort and pain into wisdom and words, making each mile, each footfall, one step closer to becoming.
Together, they form the alchemy of endurance.
The Crow watches.
The Dragon endures.
The Wizard understands.
When I truly run beyond ego and beyond fear, I become a fusion of these symbols. Each one has a different perspective to remind me that Ultramarathons aren’t just about conquering a distance or reaching a finish line.
They’re about discovering a version of myself that exists only on the edge of physical and mental exhaustion.
The self that is born from shadow, flame, and wisdom.
“If you run long enough the trail becomes a mirror.
Face the Crow, be the Dragon, listen to the Wizard;
and you’ll find not the end of the race – but the beginning of yourself.”