The 62nd Edition
Have you ever been asked “why do you train so much?”
It’s easy to wonder what the point of all this is. The early mornings, the tired legs, the constant pull towards something harder. But maybe the point isn’t something out there. Maybe it’s something we find along the way..
Something to Think About
You don’t need a perfect reason to chase something difficult, just one good enough to get started.
Something to Ask Yourself
What do you discover about yourself when you don’t take the easy option?
Article of the Week
In this piece, Toni Carey reflects on how running became more than just physical, it became a mirror to her motivations, self-awareness, and resilience. She describes how asking “Why?” over and over again shifted her mindset, fuelling her discipline not only in training but in life.
Track of the Week
New album from Surprise Chef… If you’ve not heard of them, infinite vibes 🙂
This week’s track of the week is…
By the way, if you didn’t know, I put all these tracks in a Spotify playlist…
Personal Lesson
There have been plenty of times I’ve looked at my training plan and thought, “Why though?” I could just as easily stay comfortable. I could run less, lift less, aim lower. It’s not like anyone’s making me do this. No boss is checking in on my mileage. No one’s going to give me a raise for pushing myself through an ultra. And honestly, sometimes it seems like the people around me don’t care as much, or don’t get why I care.
But when I do take the easy road, when I back off and let things slide, I feel it. Not in my legs, but in my spirit. Something dulls. I start to feel a little less alive, a little more like I’m drifting. It’s not that I need to punish myself with hard things, but I’ve come to realise that I need to face hard things. Because when I do, I meet parts of myself that I don’t find anywhere else.
When I train for something that scares me, when I keep showing up despite discomfort or doubt, I build a relationship with myself that is based on trust. I learn that I can count on me. That I won’t fold when things get tough. That I’ll give a shit even when no one else is watching. That’s what I get from this. That’s the point.
Running – Life’s Metaphor
Running hard, training with intent, pursuing something difficult, it mirrors the way we live. We can coast, or we can lean in. We can pass time, or we can use it to grow. And like life, it’s not about the result, it’s about what we learn on the way.
Final Thoughts
It’s normal to question why we train so hard, especially when no external reward seems obvious. But that questioning is part of the process. It sharpens your reason for doing it. You don’t need to justify your effort to others. You just need a reason that means something to you.
Training becomes a mirror. It shows you your patterns, limits and excuses. But it also shows you your strength, resilience and growth. When you pursue hard things, you find proof of who you really are, not who you say you are, but who you show yourself to be.
The time we have is short. I believe it’s too short to spend all of it in comfort. There’s something powerful about choosing effort, choosing stretch, choosing to care. You don’t have to be the best. You just have to keep showing up.
So if you’re wondering what the point is, maybe the point is simply this: to see what you’re made of. To live with fewer regrets. To give yourself the gift of belief. That’s more than enough.
Thanks again for reading and subscribing.
Run the runnable, and keep showing up for yourself!
Tommy 🙂