Running isn’t just moving your legs—it’s a full-blown mental sport. Sure, it takes toughness, but it also takes the ability to laugh at yourself when your brain turns into a stand-up comedian, a drill sergeant, and a toddler all at once.
Here are some of the classics my brain likes to throw at me mid-run:
1. “It’s been FOREVER. I’ve definitely gone, like, 6 miles.”
Reality check: The watch says 1.03. Time moves differently when you run—it’s like a whole separate dimension.
2. “If I stop at that stop sign, I’ll be satisfied.”
Reality check: You will immediately bargain with the next stop sign. And the one after that.
3. “This is the perfect time to remember my 7th grade teacher, my grocery list, and whether I paid the water bill.”
Reality check: Chaotic runner brain = unmatched entertainment.
4. “That last stretch was blazing fast!”
Reality check: Your pace was… fine. But hey, we’re all Olympic legends in our own heads.
5. “This hill isn’t that bad.”
Reality check: It is. It always is. But the lie gets you halfway up, and sometimes that’s enough.
6. “I don’t even like running.”
Reality check: You do. You wouldn’t be here otherwise. And you’ll remember that the second you finish and feel like a superhero.
Here’s the truth: the chaos is part of the fun. The lies, the random thoughts, the “tiny disappointments” when the mile marker isn’t where you hoped—all of it makes running what it is: a sport of both legs and laughter.
Because when you push through and learn to laugh at the circus inside your head, you realize the mental game is actually what makes running so rewarding. The body gets stronger, but so does your brain.
And that’s why we keep lacing up—even knowing our mid-run inner monologue is mostly nonsense.