Life Without Bacon.

Find something you’re passionate about, and keep tremendously interested in it.

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.

If I were going to whisper something into my younger self, I would just say, ‘Keep your head down, work hard, and listen to whosever is ahead of you because you’re going to learn something from them.’ And that’s kinda what I did.’

That’s what marathon culture is about. It’s why I run marathons. It’s more than just a race. It’s a medal you wear around your neck. It’s the moment where you see another running struggling and you tell them to keep pushing, even though they will. It’s a Chipotle burrito that your body attacks as a recovery meal. It’s something you never thought you could do, and you did it. It’s something that feels so bad in process, but even better in hindsight. It’s that moment of sheer exhaustion where you think “I can’t,” but you know you can, and you do. It’s that Facebook selfie you post moments after the finish line to show others that you started something, and you finished it. It’s something you’re proud of. And I hope that’s what inspires others not to let this cowardly act tear down this institution of perseverance - because that’s what it is, and nothing will ever change that.

Stop being a perfectionist. Embrace the fear that you’ll make a mistake. Be vulnerable.

Selecting the most effective workout music is not as simple as queuing up a series of fast, high-energy songs. One should also consider the memories, emotions and associations that different songs evoke. For some people, the extent to which they identify with the singer’s emotional state and viewpoint determines how motivated they feel. And, in some cases, the rhythms of the underlying melody may not be as important as the cadence of the lyrics.

The last couple hundred feet of a marathon may be one of the toughest times to stay focused on the bigger picture. It’s a moment when several hours of serious exertion, and many months of diligent preparation are coming to fruition. With PRs on the brain and the common phenomenon of tunnel vision it is understandable that athletes could be all about finishing at this moment, and completely unaware of anyone or anything around them other than the finish line. But not this hero in green. He showed incredible awareness and compassion at this critical moment. His actions inspired me in a way unlike anything I had ever seen on the sidelines of a marathon before. His selflessness and concern for his fellow competitors sets a powerful example and reminds me that the decisions we make in a split second are the ones that say the most about who we are and what we value.

I’m no great runner, by any means. I’m at an ordinary – or perhaps more like mediocre – level. But that’s not the point. The point is whether or not I improved over yesterday. In long-distance running the only opponent you have to beat is yourself, the way you used to be.

There is no shortage of wonderful writers. What we lack is a dependable mass of readers.

But if we push on, running harder, deeper into the loneliness, further away from the world and the structure of our lives, we begin to feel strangely elated, detached yet at the same time connected, connected to ourselves. With nothing but our own two legs moving us, we begin to get a vague, tingling sense of who, or what, we really are.

In a planet occupied now by seven billion inhabitants, I am amazed by the difference that one human being can make.

The thing about coincidence is that when you imagine the umpteen trillions of coincidences that can happen at any given moment, the fact is, that in practice, coincidences almost never do occur. Coincidences are actually so rare that when they do occur they are, in fact memorable. This suggests to me that the universe is designed to ward off coincidence whenever possible—the universe hates coincidence—I don’t know why—it just seems to be true. So when a coincidence happens, that coincidence had to work awfully hard to escape the system. There’s a message there. What is it? Look. Look harder.

We all have a deep emotional connection to our work. But project success isn’t the right goal. You need to focus on the impact of your work. Whether that means refining, pivoting, or torching, do what you must to serve the greater good.

What music is to the spirit, reading is to the mind. Reading challenges, empowers, bewitches, enriches. We perceive little black marks on white paper or a PC screen and they move us to tears, open up our lives to new insights and understandings, inspire us, organize our existences and connect us with all creation. Surely there can be no greater wonder.

Ultimately, though, running is running. Give us a starter’s gun, a finish line with a clock and everything else is gravy—though who doesn’t love running with scattered hipsters? I especially loved the guy with the shoulder-blade-length hair and the mutton-chop sideburns I ran a chunk of Sunday’s race next to.