Suffering is optional

"Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional."

A quote from one of my fav books: What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami.

Seems like toxic positivity at first. Or one of those eye roll sayings you come across in the corporate world, about how we should all just be more resilient.

But this idea changed my tense relationship with running. It helped me shift gears in the marathon.

Once I learned the difference between pain (the unavoidable sensation you get when giving it your all) and suffering, I refused to suffer in a race ever again.

Suffering happens when you're doing something wrong. Maybe you aren't training the right way for YOU; maybe you're ignoring a chronic injury; maybe you have something going on in your life outside running that's stealing your focus.

A great coach helps you nail the training part so you can focus on other things that are up to you: usually, sorting out your personal life so you can learn to use running as a healthy outlet vs. a masochistic one.

Running should never be punishment. Running should be an expression of mindfulness, freedom, and power. Sure, we all have our reasons for running, but if we bring too much baggage to the sport, we tend to suffer until we figure out a way to lighten it.

A simple quote, a lot to unpack.

But the essence is: yes, running hurts. But no, running shouldn't destroy us. It's not here to grind us to dust, tear us to shreds, make us cry. It is here to make us feel fast, take us places we otherwise wouldn't go, physically and mentally.

We should embrace the pain and refuse the suffering.

My job as coach is to help you embrace the discomfort of pursuit (there's a reason so few people do what we do...it's hard!) while learning the art of never suffering, a creative practice of body and mind.

Just a light talk on a Monday.

Now run wild, y'all 🖤⚡