When I put the question out there, “Why do we run?” I’m not talking specifically about throwing on a pair of shoes and running out the front door. I’m talking – rhetorically of course – about sport. I’m addressing the question, why do this at all? — why train, why race, why choose endurance. This thought exercise applies to every athlete, from triathletes to marathon runners and everyone in between. And while the superficial answers seem obvious — fitness, competition, community — I believe the deeper truth is often more personal.

On the day that I’m writing this, I faced one of these personal moments. This morning, I woke up at 5:30 a.m. and drove 40 minutes out to the beaches. Arguably one of the fastest group rides in the southeast takes place each Saturday morning out there. After 52 miles of hanging on – through what turned out to be the most difficult portions of the ride in the end – I bonked with 12 miles to go. I spent roughly the next 40 minutes, completely dehydrated, depleted, overheated, and exhausted riding in to  a direct headwind back to my car, all the while questioning “what is it all worth?” Legitimately, I asked myself why am I doing this?  why am I out here suffering in the heat? Why am I away from my family and partner? In that moment – any fun or enjoyment had drained away completely. But this is where we face the choice— the choice of who we want to be and whether we keep showing up.

Endurance sport is, at its core, about choice. It’s a choice to look beneath the surface of our lives and ask harder questions — not just what we want to do, but who we want to be. It’s about choosing to engage with discomfort, to face resistance head-on, and to grow through it. Every time we show up is a small act of intention — it’s deciding, again and again, to take the next step forward.

Self-Discovery.

Endurance sport has a way of peeling back our layers.

For many of us, the pursuit of endurance  isn’t just physical. It’s emotional. Psychological. Possibly even spiritual. Endurance training becomes a mirror — one that reflects (or exposes) our patterns, our limits, our coping mechanisms. The discomfort we face in training repeatedly forces us to confront ourselves, for better or worse. Those aspects of ourselves -and our personalities- that we have hid from, we are exposed to day in and day out.

Hours alone on the road provide space for thought, reflection, and sometimes even healing. For athletes coping with life, endurance sport can offer both escape and empowerment.

Personal Growth.

There is profound growth that is achieved in showing up for yourself day after day.

Through that process we learn that discipline isn’t punishment — it’s freedom to be the individual we want to be. I once read a quote that’s stuck with me ever since: “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” That’s endurance training in a nutshell. You put in the work today, trusting it will yield something greater down the line.

Endurance sport teaches patience. It rewards long-haul thinking and consistency over time. And in that process, it slowly shifts how we see ourselves in the larger context. We realize we can accomplish more than we ever thought we could if we have an executable plan.

Resilience.

Life throws the unexpected at us constantly. But every workout is a chance to rehearse how we deal with it — how to suffer well, how to stay calm when it gets hard, how to adapt and keep going.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been mid-workout, hanging onto the back of a fast group ride, legs screaming, heart pounding — and the subtle thought starts to creep in, “I can’t go on. Just drop now.” And over time I’ve learned something really important: I’m not the only one suffering. Everyone else is hurting too. The difference is in how we respond to that stress. Consistent exposure creates resilience when you realize that discomfort is temporary.  but quitting carries its own consequences.

Resilience isn’t about being fearless — it’s about getting familiar with fear and fatigue and choosing to keep going anyway. That mindset becomes a powerful tool in how we handle real-life adversity. In that way, endurance sport doesn’t just build our bodies — it builds our minds.

So when someone asks you why you run, you might say “fitness” or “for the medal.” But you’ll know it’s more than that. You run because it changes you. Because it brings you closer to who you want to be.