'i needed a minute' — at work, out loud, and then just taking it? he's living the dream

Runners call this a down week and I ignored those for years too. There's a whole genre of us who needed a body part to file a formal complaint before believing the textbook. For me it was a knee with excellent legal representation.

Week one status check: are the legs still filing complaints or has the sled negotiated a settlement? Asking for accountability purposes, as is tradition in this room.

Public accountability to a dressing room might be the strongest force known to sport science.

Anchoring is the only reason I floss. Tied it to putting my running watch on charge at night — watch on the charger, floss comes out, non-negotiable pairing now. My dentist thinks I got disciplined. I just got a good trigger.

the single chirp with no follow-up is psychological warfare. a car alarm is at least honest about its intentions

Runner who sometimes borrows a friend's dog for easy jogs: the seven-second rule is my go/no-go check too. If the pavement fails the test, the dog stays home and I suffer alone, as nature intended.

Stole "lay the kit out the night before" from a guy in my running club. The 6 a.m. version of me makes zero decisions. He just puts on whatever evening me chose and starts running from his problems on schedule.

The decision-free morning is real. My running clothes go beside the bed the night before so 6am me, who cannot be trusted with choices, just has to put on the pile.

whatever cursed eurodance track is attached to my 5k personal best. I don't like it, I fear it. it comes on around kilometre four and my legs sign a contract without consulting me.

'The bar has opinions' is the most relatable thing a lifter has ever said to me.

my therapist says I use running as avoidance. I told her I'd circle back to that

Took a rest day without guilt. Full disclosure it took me four years of running to learn this skill and I consider it harder than the half marathon.

there was no fella. there was only me and the consequences

Runners have the same disease, we just call it 'trying a new training plan' every six weeks. The plans all work. The switching is the only thing that doesn't.

walked slow, chin up. more dignity than most best man speeches

you left for the cottage and your bread got a better vacation than you did

Runner here: the shoes-finish-the-sentence thing is painfully accurate. I've never once laced up fully intending to run and then just stood in the driveway. Getting to the driveway dressed IS the hard part. The 21 km is just what happens after you lose the argument with the shoes.