Fortitude Helps Senior Win World’s Longest Horse Race.

Fortitude is a strength that seems to have fallen out of favour in today’s over-connected, overhyped and “sensitive” world. So it is refreshing to see someone – and a senior – demonstrate its importance.

Fortitude: strength of mind that enables a person to encounter danger or bear pain or adversity with courage .

Merriam Webster

American Bob Long has just won the Mongol Derby, the world’s longest and toughest horse race at the age of 70. He beat riders less than half his age by a combination of experience, skill, determination and fortitude. His mental and physical endurance was key to his performance.

The race follows some of the route of legendary Mongol ruler Genghis Khan His armies conquered much of Central Asia on horseback in the early 13th century. It is a supreme test of horsemanship, endurance and fortitude. Riders must change horses every 40 km and spend up to 14 hours in the saddle each day for 10 days. Only half the competitors finish the race each year.

Most of the horses are not fully trained, some are semi-wild, falls and injuries are common. Competitors must navigate through sparsely populated territory with few roads or signposts.

In the first race in 2009, joint first place was taken by a Mongolian and a South African. Living up to their reputation of fortitude and horsemanship, South Africans featured in first or joint first place in four of the eleven races. An amazing record considering the small size of the horse riding population in that country. Other winners were from England, Ireland, Australia, the USA and one, Heidi Telstad from Canada. All countries with a long association with horses and equine sports.

Fortitude and Endurance

Given similar athletic ability, skill and physical capability, fortitude is the characteristic that determines the winners in endurance events. Whether competing on foot, on horseback, in the water or with a vehicle, fortitude is what sets those who finish apart from those who don’t make it to the finish line. Amongst the finishers, mental toughness is often what makes the difference between first and second place.

That’s true of life too. Some people seem able to handle huge adversity, overcome setbacks, recover and move forward to new levels of success. While others stumble at the first hurdle and never regain their momentum.

For more stories about the endurance of seniors, read about 79-year-old Wally Hayward’s 85 km Comrades Marathon performance. And Baby Boomer Megan Knoyle Lewis‘ round the world horse ride.

Fortitude In Today’s World

I opened this post with the comment that fortitude seems to have fallen out of favour. Has it been pushed aside by the feeling of entitlement, political correctness and suppression of individual freedom of thought, opinion and action?

Is the polarisation of society, the anger and animosity in politics a symptom or a cause of us not being able to handle life when things don’t immediately go our way? For most of us alive in the West today and particularly in North America, our lives are safer, easier, more comfortable and richer than they were for the majority of people before the mid 20th century. We are infinitely more fortunate than billions of people living elsewhere on this planet.

Developing Positive Characteristics.

I have been a voracious reader of books on personal development, attitude and philosophy for most of my adult life. There is a lot of good material, some really great stuff. Some that is not so good and a little that is probably dangerous.

About a year ago, I started subscribing to “The Power of TQ” weekly messages with tips and ideas that make you think. I have found them useful and unlike many emails or text messages, very quick to read.

More recently, I did the Power of TQ Personal Quiz, it gave me an excellent insight into some of the things that are holding me back in my business and personal life.

You can check it out here on the TQ site. Select My TQ on the menu then My TQ Test.

Conclusion

There are signs that the “easy” life is coming to an end. Changes in the nature of work, environmental and economic changes. Changing global power dynamics all mean that life could be quite different in a few years time.

We might not want to ride in the Mongol Derby, but we can learn a lot from 70-year-old Bob Long’s performance. As with periods of adversity in the past, those who have fortitude will be the survivors and the ones who find opportunities in a changing world.

Will you be one of them? Leave a comment.

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