What’s one thing cross-country skiing, Formula 1 racing, and ultrarunning all have in common? Oftentimes, the winner isn’t the fastest performer, but simply the one who doesn’t crash into a wall. For runners, that wall is more metaphorical than literal, but the way you avoid it is the same. Learn how in this article from Marathon Handbook: “The Key To Success In Running Is Ergodicity (Or, Why The Fastest Usually Doesn’t Win).” The core idea? As author Luca Dellanna puts it, “Catastrophic losses absorb all future gains.” Whether you’re running, skiing, or just livin’ life, the strategy might not be to push yourself to the absolute limit constantly. Rather, running in a way that avoids game-ending disasters like injury or burnout will deliver the best results in the long run.
The Marathon Handbook piece highlights author Haruki Murakami as a prime example of this sustainable approach. His commitment to consistency in both writing and running is legendary, detailed in his book What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (which, by the way, you can find on our Amazon Storefront list, “Our Favorite Books for Runners”). Murakami wasn’t always a model of healthy habits. In his essay “The Moment I Became a Novelist,” he recounts a literal ‘crack of the bat’ epiphany at a baseball game that shifted his entire trajectory from a chain-smoking bar owner to a celebrated novelist and dedicated runner.
This wasn’t just about deciding to run more; he had a fundamental identity shift. This idea aligns nicely with concepts from James Clear’s book Atomic Habits. According to his article “Identity-Based Habits: How to Actually Stick to Your Goals This Year,” lasting change is easier when you focus on becoming the type of person who does the desired activity, rather than white-knuckling through the work itself. Instead of forcing yourself to grind out miles, the idea is to cultivate the identity of “a runner” or “someone who trains consistently.” By proving this new identity to yourself with small, consistent wins, the habits associated with it might just start feeling less like effort and more like second nature.
We see this endurance-first philosophy in action with elite athletes, too. Take ultrarunning phenom Courtney Dauwalter. As noted in the Run247 article “Courtney Dauwalter ‘hoping to show up with all my marbles in the right places’ for Cocodona 250,” a huge part of her success in grueling events like the upcoming Cocodona 250 involves mastering the long game – surviving the deep mental and physical challenges, or the “pain cave” as she calls it. Ensuring she’s one of the last ones standing is a big part of how she won all five of her races in 2024.
So, what’s the takeaway for the rest of us mortals? Maybe rethink the “all-out, all-the-time” mentality. While chasing PBs is part of the fun, focusing on consistency, injury avoidance, and building an identity as someone who simply shows up could be a more sustainable path to long-term fitness and enjoyment.
