The Balance
By Brett Farrell
Someone recently replied to one of my emails saying there’s more to running than just chill easy miles.
Here’s how I responded:
"Of course."
Yes, I promote and enjoy a more relaxed kind of running most days—but there are days when I want to push it.
Sometimes I plan it.
But the best days are when it just happens. I go out for some miles, feel good, and give it a go.
Some of my most memorable running moments have come from those places:
a big climb trying to keep up with a running buddy,
a workout that left me completely spent,
the last miles of a race or adventure.
It feels good to go there. There’s something real in it.
But that’s not most days.
Running is hard sometimes—and that’s part of what makes it meaningful.
But when the pushing becomes constant—when we get stuck thinking, “I should be doing more today,” or “That run didn’t really count”—
it starts to drown out the voice that reminds us it’s okay to enjoy the easy. Or the short ones.
That’s when running starts to feel heavy.
There are seasons where we step away from the bigger challenges and simply enjoy the act of running.
And there are runners who never feel the need to push speed or distance in a major way.
For me, it’s about the balance.
The hard days have their place. They push us, test us, and give us something to chase.
But they’re not meant to carry the whole thing.
The easy miles are what keep us grounded and calm—and what make it last.