It is not just a physical thing, it is a mental thing.

A thought came up this morning, part of the reason why I love to do endurance sports (running, biking etc.) is the mental aspect.

The body is incredible. I don’t know how God did it. But I am glad he did. Our body can take tremendous amount of pain and pressure and it still keeps on going. Ultramarathon, Ironman, these are activities that take the body to the extreme condition. And it still doesn’t fail us.

What is more incredible is the mind. The mental toughness to keep persuading when all hope is lost. When the road looks like a dead end. The mind is able to transform that into a clear road.

I have been on the Running Room’s forum ever since I trained. I am very happy to see when forumites post about his/her first run. The first one min run without stopping. The first 5 k run. The first 20 min run. Even just the first time going out for a walk instead of sitting at home.

The same mental battle they fight is the same as someone who is competiting in an Ironman. The distance (physical) is different but deep inside is not. When your body wants you to quit, when your mind wants you to quit, when the idea of giving up is overwhelming, somehow, somewhere, deep inside there is a part of you that say “forget it, let’s keep going”. And somehow you will make it.