How can we stop criticizing ourselves if we continue to look for flaws in everyone else? We all know the old saying “When you point one finger, three are pointed back at you.” We are most critical of behaviors that poke at our greatest fears. The more we practice, the more our inner self-talk is kinder. We are all judgmental. Human beings will alwa

Learn how to sit in the discomfort of failure. To what behaviors do you revert to get away from those feelings of discomfort—blame, avoidance, distraction? What can you learn to make sure you never feel like this again?

When we notice our attention starting to linger on a post, sit with it and try to name the feelings that arise. Envy? Insufficiency? Sadness? Instead of letting those feelings draw us into hours of more self-deprecating scrolling, we could initiate a new thought process. Perhaps the image of a training partner at the finish line with their shiny ne

It’s important to differentiate between your why and your goals. Your why may help inform your goals, and your goals may be a way to express your why, but they aren’t the same thing. Goals should not be your primary focus, and ideally your why should help you engage with your long-term goals more meaningfully and sustainably.

Sustainable Travel Packing List We’ve planned a trip and want to make more sustainable choices while we are away. What can we do to make our out-of-town race vacation more environmentally friendly?

Sure, there will be breakthrough moments that leave us hungry for more—but most of the time, progress in running (like in life) is slow and we learn to embrace and look forward to the process rather than the outcome. It may take a while to learn that lesson, but when we “get it,” everything in life levels up.

An out-of-town friend and lifelong runner cajoles us into it or a spontaneous cousin suggests lacing up together during a visit. The first few minutes of the run feel strange. We can hear one another breathing. We are too close. What pace are we going to run at? Then, suddenly, it clicks, even if only for a few minutes. We get into a rhythm, our br

attention to the sensations of the run, we may notice a sound that our brains usually filter out as unimportant or a smell that reminds us of a meaningful memory. When it comes to our overstimulated sense, vision, picking out a small detail can bring something novel and beautiful to the run. Jay Shetty spoke of this concept in his book Think Like a

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 coupl