There’s something primal and powerful about of running. The sound of your feet striking pavement, the cadence of breath—it becomes a moving meditation. For me, running is far more than exercise. It’s therapy. It’s release. It’s a way of facing stress head-on and, quite literally, moving through it.
I haven’t always loved running. To be honest, I used to dread it. Back in school, the days we had to run the mile in P were the worst—I’d count every step, every breath, just waiting for it to be over. But something changed over time. Through persistence and curiosity, I got to know running—and myself—a little better. I started watching running documentaries hoping to glean some insight into a runners mindset and started to recognize the voice in my head that told me to slow down or stop, started getting quieter. I discovered reserves of fuel I didn’t know I had and even explored a few corners of what runners call the “pain cave.” with a 50 mile ultra race. It hasn’t come easy or quickly. But the routes and hills that once felt nearly impossible now feel familiar, easier, even rewarding. Running became less about escaping discomfort and more about leaning into it—and finishing stronger.
When life feels overwhelming, complicated, or heavy, the natural instinct might be to sit with it, think it through, or escape into distraction. But running offers something different. It activates the body in a way that quiets the noise in the mind. Endorphins—the body’s feel-good chemicals—start to flow, not as some cliché “runner’s high,” but as a legitimate physiological shift. They ease pain, reduce anxiety, and promote a sense of well-being. It’s nature’s built-in stress relief, and it works.
Beyond the chemical reaction, there’s a deeper truth to why running helps process mental challenges. When your body is in motion, your mind starts to untangle. The repetitive nature of each step creates space to reflect, to unpack thoughts without the pressure of solving them immediately. Problems begin to feel smaller, more manageable. Emotions that felt stuck or suffocating start to loosen their grip.
Running doesn’t fix everything, it really doesn’t fix anything—but it gives you the clarity and courage to face what needs fixing. It offers distance, not just in miles, but space from whatever has been weighing you down. And sometimes, in those quiet miles, answers surface. Not because you were chasing them, but because you gave them room to rise.
Stress is inevitable. Mental challenges will continue to come. But in the act of running, we’re reminded that we’re built to endure, to move forward, and to find strength in the struggles we face. We don’t run away from our problems. We run to remember that we’re capable of moving through them and becoming stronger in the process.
Photo by Deon Collison
