Leave no drops behind. Squeeze every bit of juice out of me. While I still can, why not see what I’m capable of?
Today is the 500th day of me running every day. It’s a big milestone. Month 1 was a big one. Day 100 was a big one. Day 250 took longer to get to, and it was a big one as well. Day 500 is big for me, too. But it’s not…it’s not hitting the same way anymore, you know?
With each milestone achieved, each peak climbed, there’s another milestone that appears. Day 1000 is next. Then Day 2000. The hedonic treadmill has become the achievement treadmill. The huge high I got from my first running achievements were a lot more salient than now, kind of like how our first kiss is more memorable than our 200th, our first smoke gives us more of a high than our last.
I just keep adapting to all the new challenges I put in front of myself, and I wonder, at what point do these challenges stop being satisfying? Is there a speed I can get to on the highway where I can kick it into cruise control, and just coast till my tank is empty?
I’m reminded of my first half marathon, back in October 2024. I never ran that distance before, and I signed up for the Lisbon half marathon with Masha. And, even though I could run a lot faster than her, I kept at her pace. We wore matching outfits, from shirts and shorts and socks and shoes, and we ran with each other, and crossed the line together. That was a beautiful moment, and a milestone that still gets my eyes watering today. The achievements I do on my own don’t taste all so great. They’re nice, sure, but I much prefer sharing accomplishments with others.
With that being said, though, I’m still going to keep pushing myself and seeing what I’m capable of doing. These are great stories for me to remember, and - I hope - great stories for me to tell me grandchildren one day. “Didjah know yer granpa once ran 50k?” I can see myself squeaking out to three little ones. “How far is 50k? Like, to the moon?” one of them will say. Yes, to the moon and back.
Share this post