“The long run is made up of short runs.” –Seth Godin

I read this on Seth’s blog and it stuck with me immediately, maybe because I’m also training for a 50K trail race, and I know the truth of this statement, literally. I know it would be impossible for me to run a 50K, 31.3 miles, a very long run, if I don’t do the short runs leading up to it.

I also have a picture in my mind of how amazing it’s going to feel to not only finish the race, but do it with a dear friend of mine who invited me to the race in the first place to celebrate her 40th birthday. I want that picture to become a reality.

Having this clear picture of the stakes and what will happen if I do or don’t do the short runs has made it much easier for me to show up for runs each week.

Getting really clear on the long runs that matter to you and painting a picture in your mind of what your reality will look like if you do the short runs and what it will look like if you don’t do the short runs is a great way to emotionally connect your body to the actions you want to take.

When you think of the long runs that matter to you, it’s the short runs and actually doing them that make the long run become a reality.