Think Long-term
that’s runnable
The 24th Edition of your favourite running newsletter
Welcome back to your weekly dose of run chat.
A quick read of insightful tips and thoughts to help you with your running.
This week, I was struggling with a bit of a minor injury in my foot. Not sure what caused it, but I knew, if I kept running on it too much, I could cause more harm. With a long-term view of my goals, I decided to ease up on my volume and focus on fixing the problem. So, this week, let’s talk about the value of long-term thinking.
Something to Think About
Running is about more than just chasing short-term goals —it’s about building a sustainable foundation for growth, resilience, and joy in the sport. Instead of focusing solely on immediate results, think about how today’s training contributes to your journey a year from now.
Something to Ask Yourself
Are you prioritising consistency over intensity? Are you staying mindful of injuries and recovery to ensure longevity? The goals that matter most take time, and every run, rest day, and challenge is a brick in the road toward something bigger than the next race.
Article of the Week 📄
This article “The Value of Long-Term Thinking” from Wondersource emphasises the importance of adopting a long-term perspective in various aspects of life. It highlights that while immediate gratification is tempting, significant achievements often require sustained effort and patience. It talks about recognising that long-term success is built through consistent short-term actions, the necessity of patience and adaptability, and the value of maintaining a growth mindset to navigate challenges and setbacks.
Track of the Week 🎶
Bit of a nostalgic one for you this week. Dallas Green started performing solo when he was on tour with Alexisonfire and released his debut album back in 2005.
This week’s Track of the Week, from the Album Sometimes is:
Hello, I’m in Delaware by City and Colour (2005)
Personal Lesson
Early in my running journey, I was obsessed with hitting specific weekly mileage targets, convinced that pushing through every minor ache was a badge of dedication. There have been times in the past where I’ve felt a small twinge in my ankle or knee or hip (you name it) and have decided to push on to hit my planned weekly or monthly volume. Predictably, the minor pain can and has escalated into a full-blown injury, sidelining me for weeks and sometimes months. These are hard lessons in how short-term thinking can derail long-term goals. I now realise that success in running isn’t about any single week’s volume or hitting that final interval despite feeling an injury coming on—it’s about staying consistent over months and years. This shift in mindset has transformed how I approach training, helping me see the bigger picture.
Now, just like this week, when something feels off, I ask myself: will this decision help me become a better runner six months or even five years from now? Instead of pushing through discomfort to tick off a goal, I prioritise rest, recovery, and smarter adjustments. Taking a day off or scaling back now feels like a productive choice rather than a setback. Long-term thinking keeps my ego in check and allows me to train smarter, ensuring that I’m building a foundation that lasts rather than risking it all for temporary progress. It’s a mindset that’s paid off, not just in avoiding injuries but also in enjoying the process of running itself.
Running – Life’s Metaphor
Long-term thinking in running mirrors life because both require patience, consistency, and a focus on the bigger picture. Just as sustainable training builds endurance over time, life’s greatest achievements come from incremental progress and resilience. This mindset helps us prioritise lasting growth over short-term wins, embrace setbacks as part of the journey, and find joy in steady improvement.
Final Thoughts
Thinking long-term in training allows you to build a solid and sustainable foundation, which is critical for lasting progress in running. Instead of chasing quick gains or falling for trends like sudden mileage spikes or extreme workouts, a long-term approach focuses on gradual improvement. This ensures that your body has time to adapt to increased demands, allowing for better performance over time. By structuring training cycles with periods of focused work and recovery, you not only avoid burnout but also maximise your potential to peak at the right moments, whether for a key race or a personal milestone.
A long-term mindset also promotes better mental development. Runners who think short-term often tie their self-worth to immediate results, which can lead to frustration and loss of motivation when goals aren’t met quickly. Long-term thinking shifts the focus to the process rather than the outcome. This allows you to find joy in daily runs, celebrate small wins, and see challenges as stepping stones rather than roadblocks. Over time, this mental resilience becomes a powerful tool not just in running but in every aspect of life, which I hope you saw if you read the Article of the Week.
Finally and importantly, long-term training fosters a deeper connection to the sport. Rather than treating running as a short-term means to an end, it becomes a lifelong journey. This perspective encourages experimenting with different distances, terrains, and training methodologies, which can cultivate a sense of curiosity and growth. It’s not just about running faster or further—it’s about building a relationship with the sport that evolves with you over the years, ensuring that running continues to enrich your life well beyond your initial goals.
Thanks again for reading and subscribing.
Run the runnable, and keep showing up for yourself!
Tommy 🙂