The hard work is ahead. I’m running a final marathon this year before my knees break down.

I got through the hurdle of a half marathon last week. Training now steps up to distances much further, staying on my feet for longer.

It’s always harder in my head than it is to do the actual running.

The running is the fun part. The pain comes and I grind through it. One foot in front of the other, over and over.

Thinking about it – letting my brain get in the way – makes the task more difficult.

When we run, pushing towards our physical limits, we get a look at how we react to pain and stress. We hear our brain telling us to slow down, take shortcuts, or simply stop.

The challenge is laid down – easy or hard path? Which one do you want? Growth or stagnation? Settle for what you have, for who you are right now, or grow into someone else? Someone you don’t know yet. Someone you’ve never met.

The action gives us the answers.

The act of not doing what my brain says, and doing what my plan says – following my process – is where the growth comes from.

The act of ‘less thought, more action’ doesn’t apply universally, but the more I take action without the ‘what if…?’ thoughts that let the brain get the upper hand, the better the results.