As I closed in on the longest distance I have ever ran, my whole body tired and the entirety of my muscles seized up, I wondered – once again – why I’d put my body and mind through the wringer.
The sun had begun to set and the breeze had started to cool. The magic golden light that had danced through thick leaves to land on the damp blades of grass had all but faded. I had been running for close to 12 hours and I was ready to give up.
Not only could I barely move my heavy legs anymore, but my mind was in a ditch, every tiny emotion threatening to flare up and erupt like the mightiest volcano. I hadn’t struggled this much for a long time, yet deep, deep down I was glad for it. I wouldn’t realise this until days later, removed far away enough from the event to fully appreciate the whole picture.
Sport, with all its mental and physical health benefits, is also an ideal vehicle for discomfort. This is, perhaps counterintuitively, one of its biggest benefits.
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Image Sources
- Why-Being-Uncomfortable-Is-Good-for-You: Courtesy of Jonas Kolpin