When you set a personal best, do you call it a one-time success, or try to make it your new normal? Last week I did my best run ever at the gym, but it took everything I had. I wouldn’t have made it without some well-chosen music on my mp3 player.

Running this Monday, I wondered. Could I do it again? Maybe. But did I want to?

Truth: I didn’t want to do it. But I didn’t want to settle for less. I wanted to have done it, and that meant powering through.

Running is a bit like writing:

• small steps add up
• I need to pace myself
• drinking water helps (yes, even with writing)
• it can be painful
• watching the timer or distance counter or word count makes it feel harder
• but seeing the numbers climb does get encouraging
• there’s a spot early on where I want to quit
• there’s another spot in the middle where I want to quit
• there’s a spot near the end where I want to quit
• my mind has the power to finish me or keep me going
• regular discipline is crucial: repeated effort does get easier
• but it’s still hard work
• prayer helps (yes, even with running)
• comparing myself to others is a bad idea
• pressing on can be an act of worship
• goals must be reachable if I stretch for them
• breaks are important
• benchmarks along the way motivate and encourage
• it all comes back to tenacity
• no one else can do it for me
• the right music helps (upbeat worship for running, mellow instrumental jazz for writing)
• “The End” feels good