As running coaches go, I’m not the one who’s gonna get anybody to the Olympics and I might not be the one to peel anybody off the couch either. I was reminded yesterday that my sweet spot lies in infusing joy into the experience and inviting beginners into a sense of accomplishment and an empowered mindset on the run.

One runner asked about whether to stop when it got hard and when it was generally okay to walk. Some pain is inevitable, I said, but not to the point of detriment. But know that building endurance and strength will sometimes be hard, period. It is important to build our tolerance for discomfort and to get comfortable with it rather than look for opportunities to stop. Besides, you’ll miss all this beauty if you quit. These are also my life lessons off the trail.

Later, I paused us for pics and someone said I was like a proud momma. Well, in the sense that I take people into my care and feel excited to support them, to see them grow, develop and succeed, sure, I’ll take that title as an honor – a big one.