There’s a special kind of euphoria that washes over you mid-race. It could be a 5k, a marathon, or an ultra-distance event—whatever it is, there's this moment where everything just clicks. You’re not thinking too hard about anything besides the fact that you feel good. You’re halfway through, maybe more, and suddenly, you’re picking up the pace. Your body starts to push the limits of what you thought was possible for that distance. You finish strong, maybe even cutting down your time, your heart rate climbing in a steady but comfortable rhythm.
But what’s interesting is that this feeling—this runner’s high, this deep sense of accomplishment—isn’t tied to a specific pace. Yet, we often associate race success with whether or not we hit the exact splits we set for ourselves. There’s a tendency to reduce our performance to numbers on a watch.
Why is that? Why do we automatically measure our potential and success by our pace?
I think it’s important for athletes to start questioning that. There have been times when I’ve felt incredible during a race—felt that powerful flow—but the numbers didn’t line up with the expectations I had for myself. I finished strong, but when I looked at the pace, I felt a pang of disappointment. And there’s something fundamentally wrong with that.
Why are we chasing this arbitrary number when the feeling—the sensation of running strong, of pushing our limits, of leaving it all out there—is what really matters?
That feeling is something we can strive for in every race. No matter the distance or conditions, it’s always possible to tap into that deep sense of fulfillment. But if we focus solely on pace, we miss out on acknowledging the power of our effort. We lose sight of the moments when we’re truly thriving as athletes, even if the clock tells a different story.
I encourage you to rethink your approach to racing and training.
Instead of getting stuck on paces and times, start chasing the feeling. That’s where the magic happens.
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