--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For them, running was a miserable two…" description: "\"“For them, running was a miserable two miles motivated soley by size 6 jeans: get on the scale, get depressed, get your headphones on, and get it over ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0a/christopher-mcdougall-2557_motivation_for-them-running-was-a-miserable-two-mil_1247478.jpg" --- # For them, running was a miserable two miles motivated… ![“For them, running was a miserable two miles motivated soley by size 6 jeans: get on the scale, get depressed, get your headphones on, and get it over with. But you can't muscle through a five-hour run that way; you have to relax into it, like easing your body into a hot bath, until it no longer…” quote by Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0a/christopher-mcdougall-2557_motivation_for-them-running-was-a-miserable-two-mil_1247478.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0a/christopher-mcdougall-2557_motivation_for-them-running-was-a-miserable-two-mil_1247478.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0a/christopher-mcdougall-2557_motivation_for-them-running-was-a-miserable-two-mil_1247478.jpg) > ““For them, running was a miserable two miles motivated soley by size 6 jeans: get on the scale, get depressed, get your headphones on, and get it over with. But you can't muscle through a five-hour run that way; you have to relax into it, like easing your body into a hot bath, until it no longer resists the shock and begins to enjoy it.”” [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Endurance requires mental ease, not forced effort; treat long runs like a gradual immersion to reduce resistance and find enjoyment. **In simple terms:** Relax into long runs to enjoy them. Key Takeaway Ease into effort, enjoy the process. Themes endurance mindset relaxation running motivation Mood calm determined reflective Type advice motivational philosophical When to use this quote - marathon training - daily jogs - long-distance events - fitness coaching Key Concepts psychology of flow habit formation pain perception Questions to Reflect On - How can you make a long run feel like a soothing ritual? - What mental cues help you shift from resistance to acceptance? A Different Perspective If you force yourself, you may burn out or injure; true ease takes practice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bath Longer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bath-longer-520665/) [Easing Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easing-body-520664/) [Hour Run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hour-run-520663/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Running Miserable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running-miserable-3490860/) ## Related quotes > [But you can't muscle through a five-hour run that way; you have to relax into it like easing your body into a hot bath,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/but-you-can-t-muscle-through-a-five-hour-run-that-way-you-have-to/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [ But yeah, Ann \[Trason\] insisted, running was romantic; and no, of course her friends didn't get it because they'd never broken through. For them,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/but-yeah-ann-trason-insisted-running-was-romantic-and-no-of-course/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [If you don't have answers to your problems after a four-hour run, you ain't getting them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/if-you-don-t-have-answers-to-your-problems-after-a-four-hour-run-you/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [“ Easing Your Body’s Response to Anxiety As explained earlier, anxiety has a strong impact on your body. When you feel anxious, your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-moehn/easing-your-body-s-response-to-anxiety-as-explained-earlier-anxiety/) [Heather Moehn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-moehn/) > [It is a mark of a mean capacity to spend much time on the things which concern the body, such as much exercise, much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/it-is-a-mark-of-a-mean-capacity-to-spend-much-time-on-the-things/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Whatever, the hour you run often is the best hour of the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-higdon/whatever-the-hour-you-run-often-is-the-best-hour-of-the-day/) [Hal Higdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-higdon/) > [A guy can do a stair-stepper for an hour or go out and run five miles, but there's a big difference between doing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-steamboat/a-guy-can-do-a-stair-stepper-for-an-hour-or-go-out-and-run-five-miles/) [Ricky Steamboat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-steamboat/) > [“I'm not doing jumping jacks for an hour." "Then you could run arounf the house, up and down the stairs." He paused, his smug…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/i-m-not-doing-jumping-jacks-for-an-hour-then-you-could-run-arounf-the/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [What is the purpose of any one workout? Enjoyment? Improvement? Coach said so? Whatever, the hour you run often is the best hour of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-higdon/what-is-the-purpose-of-any-one-workout-enjoyment-improvement-coach/) [Hal Higdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-higdon/) > [When I get up, I have a cup of coffee, surf the Internet, then do a half-hour run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katarina-witt/when-i-get-up-i-have-a-cup-of-coffee-surf-the-internet-then-do-a-half/) [Katarina Witt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katarina-witt/) > [We were born to run; we were born because we run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/we-were-born-to-run-we-were-born-because-we-run/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [We run when we're scared, we run when we're ecstatic, we run away from our problems and run around for a good time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/we-run-when-we-re-scared-we-run-when-we-re-ecstatic-we-run-away-from/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [I'd be a race car driver. I love fast cars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-angelo-russell/i-d-be-a-race-car-driver-i-love-fast-cars/) [D'Angelo Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-angelo-russell/) > [I think social networks are really working for the drivers, because we're able to talk directly to fans and they get first-hand information. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenson-button/i-think-social-networks-are-really-working-for-the-drivers-because-we/) [Jenson Button](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenson-button/) > [It is amazing how may drivers, even at the Formula One Level, think that the brakes are for slowing the car down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/it-is-amazing-how-may-drivers-even-at-the-formula-one-level-think/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) ## More by Christopher McDougall > [We run when we're scared, we run when we're ecstatic, we run away from our problems and run around for a good time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/we-run-when-we-re-scared-we-run-when-we-re-ecstatic-we-run-away-from/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [“Whenever an art form loses its fire, when it gets weakened by intellectual inbreeding and first principles fade into stale tradition, a radical fringe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/whenever-an-art-form-loses-its-fire-when-it-gets-weakened-by/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [Nearly all runners do their slow runs too fast, and their fast runs too slow." Ken Mierke says. "So they're just training their bodies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/nearly-all-runners-do-their-slow-runs-too-fast-and-their-fast-runs/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [“Death Valley is the perfect flesh-grilling device, the Foreman Grill in Mother Nature’s cupboard. It’s a big, shimmering sea of salt ringed by mountains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/death-valley-is-the-perfect-flesh-grilling-device-the-foreman-grill/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [We were born to run; we were born because we run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/we-were-born-to-run-we-were-born-because-we-run/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [“that it took him nearly the entire walk to notice what was happening: his back didn’t hurt. Didn’t hurt a bit. Heyyy … Ted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/that-it-took-him-nearly-the-entire-walk-to-notice-what-was-happening/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [Extreme heroism springs from something that no scientific theory can fully explain; it's an illogical impulse that flies in the face of biology, psychology,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/extreme-heroism-springs-from-something-that-no-scientific-theory-can/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [You don't have to be fast. But you'd better be fearless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/you-don-t-have-to-be-fast-but-you-d-better-be-fearless/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [“To live with ghosts requires solitude. —ANNE MICHAELS, Fugitive Pieces”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/to-live-with-ghosts-requires-solitude-anne-michaels-fugitive-pieces/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [...there was some kind of connection between the capacity to love and the capacity to love \*running\*. The engineering was certainly the same: both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/there-was-some-kind-of-connection-between-the-capacity-to-love-and/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [“You get leafy greens in your body first thing in the morning and you'll lose a lot of weight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/you-get-leafy-greens-in-your-body-first-thing-in-the-morning-and-you/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [“Distance running demands a brain-body connection that no other creature is capable of.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/distance-running-demands-a-brain-body-connection-that-no-other/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [“Ultra god Scott Jurek summed up the Young Guns’ unofficial creed with a quote from William James he stuck on the end of every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/ultra-god-scott-jurek-summed-up-the-young-guns-unofficial-creed-with/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [“The way to activate your fat-burning furnace is by staying below your aerobic threshold—your hard-breathing point—during your endurance runs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/the-way-to-activate-your-fat-burning-furnace-is-by-staying-below-your/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [“Don't fight the trail. Take what it gives you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/don-t-fight-the-trail-take-what-it-gives-you/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) [Explore all 156 Christopher McDougall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) ## More Motivation quotes > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [Every human creates his own problems. Problems are ones private property and we shouldnt meddle into them self-initiatively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-papian/every-human-creates-his-own-problems-problems-are-ones-private/) [Ruben Papian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-papian/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [“Now you," Grandma barks at him. "Yes, you, the invisible truck driver," she added, giving me a wicked grin. "Go stand next to Rose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/now-you-grandma-barks-at-him-yes-you-the-invisible-truck-driver-she/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-not-willing-to-learn-no-one-can-help-you-if-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Have a Blast; Life wont last! Make the best of the journey before it is over!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/have-a-blast-life-wont-last-make-the-best-of-the-journey-before-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is like riding on a bus. God is the driver and I am the passenger. Have faith God knows which route to take.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefroy-hanson/life-is-like-riding-on-a-bus-god-is-the-driver-and-i-am-the-passenger/) [Jefroy Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefroy-hanson/) > [“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/friction-is-necessary-ease-of-life-leads-to-complacency-and-the/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [When you heed the calling of your heart, you are following your purpose. Having purpose in your life gives you the courage to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/when-you-heed-the-calling-of-your-heart-you-are-following-your/) [Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/) > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. However, it's better to think first than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/life-is-going-to-hit-you-some-line-drives-and-sometimes-you-ll-have/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) [Browse all 14,479 Motivation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“For them, running was a miserable two miles motivated soley by size 6 jeans: get on the scale, get depressed, get your headphones on, and get it over with. 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