But we can consider our friends; we should get in the habit of reflecting whether they make us feel rejuvenated, filled up, or refreshed after we leave them or if we leave feeling sad, down, or self-conscious. If it is a longtime friend, it can be painful to recognize that the relationship has come to its natural end point, but that does not erase

If our mood continues to be unstable, or we experience physical symptoms that could be related to overtraining (see chapter 5), this is a sign to back off. This is a time to give ourselves grace and understanding if days or even weeks of training are missed. When we take the long view and prioritize consistency, there’s always space to take a

By selecting local races, we can sleep soundly (or at least better than in a new place) in our own beds, perhaps sleep in a little bit longer, and have the satisfaction of being home and showered (maybe sneaking in a nap if we are lucky) within a few hours. It places a lot less strain on our body and mind, our finances, and our planet. Beyond the

They believe they can gain knowledge of supply chains and hold corporations and governments accountable through direct action like reaching out to companies, writing letters, making calls, and, yes, sending tweets. Activist consumers usually work up to boycotts, strikes, and protests (but we do not have to go that far!). Above all, activist

Do they use sustainable materials? What sustainable initiatives are they supporting? Do they have a fair trade certification? Do they have a B Corp certification? Are they members of an environmental giveback, giving part of their profits to a nonprofit dedicated to climate solutions, like 1% for the Planet? What does their end-of-life recycling

Feeling tired on runs or running slower often accompanies periods of stressful life situations, but if we feel like we want to hammer out a run to release some tension, that is okay too—but approach with caution.

Gratitude can be a powerful antidote to feeling stuck on the hedonic treadmill. Paying attention to what you are experiencing in the moment, and savoring the enjoyment of a specific experience beyond its outcome, can attach meaning to different aspects of an activity. Rather than trying to exceed 20 miles on a four-hour trail run, refusing to

boundaries. Get in the habit of having a conversation about expectations before a group run begins. We can tell our training partners that we “expect to go about this effort level for this many miles.” Getting expectations out in the open, making sure everyone is on the same page, will make the group feel more comfortable. We are collaborating on a

Contrary to popular belief, self-acceptance is different from self-esteem. Self-esteem ties self-worth and value to achievements and outcomes and will fluctuate over time. Our self-esteem feels secure when work is great, when our family situation is stable, when we PR’d recently, and when things are generally going well. However, this can break