Long runs are long runs. Longer distances change you.

Long runs are long runs. Longer distances change you.

Mental toughness.

That’s the unspoken, all-important take away from the long run.

As another Saturday winds down, I’m reflecting on, dissecting upon the long run.

Today, I write of endurance. Mental endurance.

I do this a bit sheepishly for I only ran 11.5 miles. To an endurance athlete 11.5 miles is baby pabulum, but after a year or so of minimal long distance running,

I’m a baby again.

And this baby wanted to stop running at 1 hour, 45 minutes. Just another 15 minutes home, but I was stick-a-fork-in-me done.

Running in the middle afternoon, the air temp warmed to the 70s. I was tired of running in 70 degree heat. I was thirsty. My weak left ankle was complaining (even in my b0o-ti-full new shoes.).

I complained.

But the thought of walking home was not an option. (It would take longer and I really wanted to be home.)

Push through.

And that’s why people are different people after completing the marathon.

You push through pain, you push through discomfort, you push through looking to passersby’s like a sloppy, shell of yourself. Just keep moving in spite of all the reasons you want to give in.

And unlike all the other times in life you believed when your mind screamed “I CAN’T,” you pushed ugly-through.

Making it home…to the finish.

I took the icky medicine when I didn’t want to.

I might not be strong. I might not be fast. I might not be a lean mean ab-machine on the cover of Runner’s World.

But I overcame myself today. And that’s better than 99 percent of the population.

I’m tough.

(Relatively speaking.)

Have you been changed by running?