Two years ago, as a team, we decided to embark on our first epic experience where we chose to run “El Cruce,” a 100km race in Patagonia, Argentina. A year later, we were running Ultra Paine in Patagonia, Chile, and this year we are embarking again on the adventure, Huilo-Huilo 2024. 

“Epic” originates from Greece where they used the term Epos to refer to narratives that used to recount the feats of a hero and their troops. This origin is why we now use the word epic to characterize something that is truly memorable, unparalleled, or requires an effort that deserves to be highlighted. Something worthy of being written and reproduced in stories. 

Our first epic experience changed the perception that we had of each other. Most of the team were not known for their athletic abilities, much less running, so we decided to dream big and make it the most memorable challenge we could imagine at that moment. This was not a challenge we knew we would achieve, but a challenge we knew involved effort, work, and risk. 

In our world, luck didn’t exist; hard work was the way. We had a very poor first training session, but we improved over time. We trained at least three times a week, running on every hill we could find. Each time we became faster and better. And with that, after going through the path of resilience, things started to turn out well. 

Filled with confidence, a month and a half before the “epic,” we decided to sign up for a moderately difficult race, much easier than the final challenge we had set for ourselves. 50% failed and did not reach the finish line. The 50% who did reach it, did so with a lot of suffering along the way. The lesson? Physical training is not everything; experience is also needed—knowing when to hydrate, when to eat, when to use trekking poles, and when to slow down. Physical condition alone wasn’t enough; we needed technique. 

After the first major and measurable failure, a new door opened in our preparation: “responsibility.” We began purchasing our respective gear—backpacks, gels, water bottles, poles, etc. The race was no longer a game; perseverance alone wasn’t enough. Responsibility also became part of the discipline we needed to achieve it. 

Finally, the ultimate test came. The summarized story is that we all started on the designated day and reached the finish line in the expected time— we only had to enjoy the journey and the finish. 

But what did we learn from this process? If I had to define it—despite how difficult it is—I would summarize it in three things: 

1. Dream Big – “You go as far as you set your sights”: The goal doesn’t have to be something you know you’ll achieve; it has to be something worth telling, something deserving of being called an epic. The bigger the goal seems, the greater the efforts needed to achieve it, and the stronger the team becomes. 
2. Discipline – No epic goal is achieved merely by setting it. If you achieved it without preparation and effort, you probably set the wrong goal. Achieving a significant challenge requires work and dedication. On a long journey like the one we set for ourselves, there are not only triumphs but also major failures, and you need enough resilience to keep persevering toward the goal. Additionally, discipline involves responsibility; it’s not just about making many attempts but striving to do better each time. 
3. Epic Team – No team achievement is accomplished without the team. The group effort transforms everyone. Your regular teammate is no longer the same; suddenly, they’ve become stronger by continuing to run after an injury, better by supporting you when you felt down, smarter by finding the best path, and more interesting by sharing their life story while walking. Similarly, you are no longer the same. Now, you are part of a team a bit more heroic and braver, worthy of living another epic story together.