December 10, 2025
There's no race, there's only a runner. Just keep one foot in front of the other.
Lucius, Two of Us on the Run
I’ve been running weekly for a while now, and a few months ago I found a new trail near me. The first time I did it was incredible. I remember thinking: that was the perfect run. Some elevation, some views, a few miles, quiet, not too hard on the knees.
I kept doing the run every week. But over time, a pattern emerged. During that mostly downhill first mile, my mind would start drifting. I’d think about the looming hills. The climb. The effort ahead. I’d imagine my quads burning, my breath shortening. Just trying to not stop. To keep going. And then, I realized my mistake. I wasn’t running. I was thinking. Worse, I was worrying.
Now when I run, I return to the mantra: There’s no race, there’s only a runner. Just keep one foot in front of the other. It grounds me. Brings me back to this step, this breath, this moment. And once I’m back to the present moment, the worry is gone. Because there’s only now. And it’s perfect.