The Run I Almost Quit—and Why I’m So Glad I Didn’t

I’m amazed every single time I overcome something challenging by how good I feel afterwards.

Today I ran Parkrun in Dulwich, and to be honest, I didn’t feel my best.

I’ve been back in England for about a week, and I leave for Spain on Monday. This week has been all about catching up with friends and family, which has naturally involved drinking more alcohol than I’m used to. Nothing excessive by most people’s standards, but definitely more than I normally drink. My lifestyle is built around drinking very little alcohol, whether that’s weekly, monthly, or over the course of a year.

Last night, for example, I had three small cans of beer—not three pints, just three cans. On the other evenings, I’ve often had a glass of wine with dinner. That’s part of the culture when I’m travelling in Europe: you sit down, have a meal, enjoy a glass of red wine with pasta, and spend time together.

But this morning, I felt it.

When my alarm went off, the first challenge was simply not hitting snooze. Getting out of bed, having a shower, and getting myself ready felt like a victory in itself. Then I nearly missed my train because I couldn’t find my wallet.

Every time I caught my reflection in a mirror, I could see how flat I looked. My energy was low, and I could see it in my eyes. I just didn’t feel like myself.

I got to Parkrun anyway.

During the first lap, I thought about quitting. During the second lap, I thought about quitting. During the third lap, I was still thinking about quitting. It wasn’t until I was about 90% of the way through, with just one final bend before the finish, that I realised I wasn’t going to quit.

As I crossed the line, I looked at my watch and saw that I’d actually run faster than I did last week.

Another sub-20-minute Parkrun.

The feeling afterwards was incredible. It wasn’t just happiness—it was deep satisfaction. There’s something so powerful about doing something difficult when every part of you wants to stop.

Moments like this remind me that I can change direction whenever I choose. Every difficult thing I do strengthens the part of me that wants to grow. It nudges me towards the life I want: one with more challenges, more discipline, and fewer habits that don’t serve me.

Maybe that also means changing how I socialise. Maybe I don’t need alcohol to catch up with friends and family. Maybe the conversation is enough.

That’s what today reminded me.

The hardest moments often lead to the most rewarding ones.