Inspiration 9 | Down But Not Out

Full article

We have all had times in life where we feels like it's hopeless. Where we have put in SO much effort to make progress in something and things just don't turn out well, health, our job, learning something new, family relationships, friend relationships, moving on after a loss etc. Where we feel like an empty shell of a person as we try to move forward and we don't know how much longer we can go on. In the world of long distance running, there’s a phenomenon that defies logic, physiology, and even common sense. A runner can look completely spent—legs heavy, shoulders slumped, breathing ragged, face twisted in pain. They’ve been at it for miles. Everything in their body is screaming to stop. And yet… suddenly, something shifts. Their mindset shifts. They stand up again. They pick up the pace and keep going.

That’s the second wind. When even though it feel like the end, you find just enough to keep going.

If you’ve ever run a long race or watched one, you know not to count out that exhausted-looking competitor. No matter how tired, sore, beaten down, or demoralized they appear, a real runner often has another gear waiting. The body and mind find a way. The fire inside never truly goes out in an ultra endurance athlete.

Life Is a Long Race

The same principle applies to every area of human life.

We’re all running our own ultra marathons—sometimes literal, but mostly metaphorical. You’re grinding to improve your health after years of bad habits or because of a health issue that was recently discovered. You’re fighting to land a better job where you can use your skills and abilities freely or build a career after repeated rejections. You're trying to master something new, a life skill, technology, a language etc. You’re trying to repair a relationship you damaged by accident or navigate the crushing weight of grief and loss of a family member, friend, or co-worker. Some days the finish line feels impossibly far away, the end to all the effort seems like it will never come. All the work you have put in seems to vanish into the void. Progress becomes slow, maybe invisible, or even reversed at times.

It’s easy to look at someone in that state (or look at yourself) and think they’re done. They look so down and out that they have given up already. They’ve been trying for so long with no "real" progress, maybe it will never happen. In the running world, maybe they’ve slowed to a walk in the middle of the race or they've started to stumble or limp. Maybe they’ve even stepped off the race path, and drop to the ground for a short break or to break down in tears.

But real runners aren’t out of the race at that point and you don't have to be either!

They may rest awhile. They may slow down and stumble. They may question everything and think about quitting, even talk about quitting or convince you that they are quitting. Yet the desire to finish—to become healthier, to succeed, to heal, to grow—still burns. And then, often when they (and you) least expect it, the second wind arrives.

The Power of the Second Wind

Physiologically, a runner’s second wind can come from the body finally tapping into deeper energy reserves, clearing lactic acid more efficiently, or the mind pushing through mental barriers. In life, it’s more mysterious. It might arrive after a period of honest rest and recovery. It might show up after a small win that rebuilds momentum. It might be happen after the mind finally finds a new strategic plan to "get back on track". Sometimes it simply emerges because the runner refuses to quit on the inside, even when the outside looks defeated.

What looks like the end is often just the darkest part of the middle.

• The person trying to lose weight and get healthy after multiple failed attempts? They’re one consistent habit change away from a second wind.
• The worker who feels isolated, undervalued, and limited in their roll? They find a creative way to find fulfillment outside of work and maybe in the small things that they do at work.
• The professional who’s been rejected dozens of times? Their breakthrough application or bold new project or opportunity might be right around the corner.
• The couple working through deep hurt or the friends working through the pain of one hurting the other? Healing doesn’t move in straight lines, but persistence on both parts can bring renewal.
• The individual carrying heavy grief or the sting of failure? Accepting that it will take time, putting effort in new things, and focusing on feeling grateful for the time that you did have, can lead to unexpected strength.

The second wind doesn’t always come on your timeline, or your family's, or your friend's or coworker's. It rarely feels convenient and more like "last second". But for those who keep putting one foot in front of the other, those who keep lacing up for the next race even when motivation is gone—it tends to arrive.

Keep Moving Forward

In whatever race you are running right now, if you feel like you have nothing left in the tank, hear this: you are not out of the race if you don't want to be.

You may need to slow down. You may need a strategic break to catch your breath and tend to sore spots. You may need to rethink your strategy. That’s wisdom, not weakness. Real runners understand pacing and being flexible and working with what they have. They know when to push and when to recover, which is crucial in a 100 miler, 250 miler or longer where the race last for days at a time. But they don’t stop believing in the finish line. In everyday life this may look like needing to start a regular work out plan, get outside and explore more, make time for a hobby that brings you joy, start writing a blog to express who you really are, rewatch an old favorite TV show that makes you laugh, spend more times with friends or spend quiet time alone etc.

And for those watching someone else run their race—whether it’s a friend, family member, colleague, or partner—don’t write them off when they look tired. The most exhausted-looking runners are often the ones closest to something powerful. Just be there for them, let them vent, be slow to give advice, just listen and maybe watch their favorite show with them and buy them their favorite meal for pete's sake!

Second wind is real. The human spirit is remarkably resilient. The desire to keep going, to improve, to finish what we started, runs deeper than most people realize. Don't give up just because it feel overwhelming, take whatever small step you can. Don't stop just because you feel like quitting or because the tears won't stop rolling down your cheeks. Everyone chasing after something worth it feels like quitting. Crying, weakness, and pain, even loneliness, are all part of an ultra race, much like they are all part of the race of life. But none of them mean that you have to give up.

So lace up. Keep moving. Pivot and rest when you must, but never quit in your heart. The road is long, but second winds are waiting for those who refuse to stop running.

Get inspired and watch Sally McRae push through one of the longest and biggest races ever!