7 Keys to Sticking With Hard Runs When You Want to Quit

By Steve Magness “In just about every race, I looked for a way to quit.” This wasn’t a novice runner I was talking to. It was an elite, one of the best in the world, who admitted to me that they searched for an out—a hole to step in, an injury to fake, a bathroom to duck into—during every race. This isn’t something to be ashamed of. We all do it. From the beginner to the Olympian, we all experience hard runs and at some point or another, we all feel a strong urge to quit. During a race, we all face an inner battle. A feeling of pain, fatigue, and uncertainty arises. At first, it’s a whisper, before turning into a scream. An internal debate soon follows; an angel and devil on our shoulder argue over whether we’ve got it or should call it quits. Finally, we experience an urge to act—to quit, slow down, or find our way through. This feel-debate-act cycle is a kind of protective mechanism. It’s our brain’s way of preventing us from pushing too far into the unknown and facing danger. This could be the physical kind, from running so hard that you put your health in danger, or psychological, in which your ego has to face the fact that it’s not good enough. The feelings, doubts, and urge to quit are just a way for your brain to keep you in check. It’s looking for an escape hatch, communicating a reminder that things are getting tough, we might be in danger, and there’s a way out. Toughness lies in mastering freak-outs. Here’s how the world’s best runners do it. [View in Browser]( [Runner's World Logo]( [SHOP]( [RW+ EXCLUSIVES]( [SUBSCRIBE]( [7 Keys to Sticking With Hard Runs When You Want to Quit]( [7 Keys to Sticking With Hard Runs When You Want to Quit]( [7 Keys to Sticking With Hard Runs When You Want to Quit]( By Steve Magness “In just about every race, I looked for a way to quit.” This wasn’t a novice runner I was talking to. It was an elite, one of the best in the world, who admitted to me that they searched for an out—a hole to step in, an injury to fake, a bathroom to duck into—during every race. This isn’t something to be ashamed of. We all do it. From the beginner to the Olympian, we all experience hard runs and at some point or another, we all feel a strong urge to quit. During a race, we all face an inner battle. A feeling of pain, fatigue, and uncertainty arises. At first, it’s a whisper, before turning into a scream. An internal debate soon follows; an angel and devil on our shoulder argue over whether we’ve got it or should call it quits. Finally, we experience an urge to act—to quit, slow down, or find our way through. This feel-debate-act cycle is a kind of protective mechanism. It’s our brain’s way of preventing us from pushing too far into the unknown and facing danger. This could be the physical kind, from running so hard that you put your health in danger, or psychological, in which your ego has to face the fact that it’s not good enough. The feelings, doubts, and urge to quit are just a way for your brain to keep you in check. It’s looking for an escape hatch, communicating a reminder that things are getting tough, we might be in danger, and there’s a way out. Toughness lies in mastering freak-outs. Here’s how the world’s best runners do it. By Steve Magness “In just about every race, I looked for a way to quit.” This wasn’t a novice runner I was talking to. It was an elite, one of the best in the world, who admitted to me that they searched for an out—a hole to step in, an injury to fake, a bathroom to duck into—during every race. This isn’t something to be ashamed of. We all do it. From the beginner to the Olympian, we all experience hard runs and at some point or another, we all feel a strong urge to quit. During a race, we all face an inner battle. A feeling of pain, fatigue, and uncertainty arises. At first, it’s a whisper, before turning into a scream. An internal debate soon follows; an angel and devil on our shoulder argue over whether we’ve got it or should call it quits. Finally, we experience an urge to act—to quit, slow down, or find our way through. This feel-debate-act cycle is a kind of protective mechanism. It’s our brain’s way of preventing us from pushing too far into the unknown and facing danger. This could be the physical kind, from running so hard that you put your health in danger, or psychological, in which your ego has to face the fact that it’s not good enough. The feelings, doubts, and urge to quit are just a way for your brain to keep you in check. It’s looking for an escape hatch, communicating a reminder that things are getting tough, we might be in danger, and there’s a way out. Toughness lies in mastering freak-outs. 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