Training The Body, Feeding The Mind
For nearly two decades now, running has been part of my daily routine. When I moved to London in my early twenties, I swapped the commute in a crowded tube for running to the office and pretty much never looked back.
Over the years the distance to the office increased and with it so did the miles in the bank. I’ve now been consistently clocking between 80-100 miles a week for the majority of my adult life, racking up thousands of miles cumulatively and here’s the kicker…I don’t even like running!
Some people run because they love it, some do it for the health and weight loss benefits, whilst others are somewhat indifferent and just get it done. I probably fall closer to the latter category.
I don’t hate running but you’ll never hear me say I love it either. What keeps me consistently banging out miles is less a passion for running and more about what I get from it.
What Keeps Me Going?
1. Consistency Builds Resilience
Very few people apart from close friends and family (at least until now anyway) are aware of the full extent of the mileage and hours running I rack up. Mostly, it’s just me versus me on a daily basis. There was a period of time where I shared my runs on social media, but they faded along with my usage of social media overall so the only platform for sharing now is Strava (and apparently here now!)
Whether I’m home, away for work, or even on holiday, my running kit comes along. Change of location isn’t an excuse especially when Google Maps makes it relatively easy to navigate even in new surroundings. My lesson over the years is that showing up daily, even when you don’t feel like it pays off over time, building the resilience to deal with the curveballs that life throws at you.
2. Do Hard Things Daily
Honestly, there’s no way of rationalising getting out of bed for a 4-mile run to the gym, lifting weights, then running 5–6 miles back isn’t the “easy” choice. However, it is the ‘right’ choice. Choosing the hard option repeatedly over time develops mental toughness and increased discipline. It’s a practice I’ve carried through my adult life, and it’s paid dividends when unexpected challenges hit.
3. I’m Training for Life, Not For Looks
I’m not training for a specific race nor to post my latest accomplishment on social media. I’m training continuously to be prepared for whatever life may throw at me. If I’m away with the family and the car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, I can run to the nearest town or village. If there’s an emergency at home or nearby, I can physically step up to help. My fitness isn’t about aesthetics; it’s about readiness and adaptability when it counts.
4. Turn Fitness into Learning Time
One thing that has been somewhat of an edge for me over the years is pairing running with learning. I started listening to podcasts and audiobooks in my twenties, gradually increasing playback speed to 3.5x. At first it takes a bit to get used to (and sounds like chipmunk according to friends), but your mind and ears adjust relatively quickly if you stick with it. Running 90-120 mins daily corresponds to 6-9 hours of information upload on a continual basis. My daily intake routine consists of CNBC financial and economic news through to anything ranging from philosophy, physics, history or anything that grabs my curiosity. I’m not naturally gifted at anything, but I can outwork my competition and knowledge acquisition wise this is a hack that’s helped me get ahead of the years.
Why Does Any of This Matter?
Fitness is a Choice: It may not feel easy or fun at first but there are ways to reduce the friction and increase the probability of making exercise a habit. Gamify your progress with tracking apps or find accountability partners to help get you going and developing momentum until the habit and routine start to take care of themselves. I often say it’s as difficult falling out of the routine once you’re in at as it was to get started in the first place.
Doing Hard Things Pays Off: Choosing discipline over comfort builds resilience you’ll rely on when life is toughest. You can’t predict the future, but you can make sure you’re effectively prepared for it
Make Time Work for You: Whether it’s audiobooks while running or calming music while walking, combining movement and learning can unlock new levels of productivity and focus. Too often I hear people say ‘I just don’t have time to learn’ however on greater scrutiny of their timetable it’s often that they do have time if they choose to optimise for learning and development
Final Thoughts
This isn’t a prescription. I’m not telling you to run 100 miles a week or listen to audiobooks at lightning speed. These are simply the practices that have worked for me, helping me push physical limits while feeding my curiosity. If nothing else, I hope it inspires you to look for ways to match physical activity with personal growth in your own life.