Running Into Yourself

Book excerpt: The power of running to alleviate our suffering and frailties Whether you’re a novice runner making your way from the couch to your first 5K race, or an elite runner toeing the line at the start of the Olympic marathon, you soon discover that within the beauty of movement, there comes a point where you arrive at a mysterious boundary—the border where one valiantly tries to quiet the mind, while allaying incapacitating doubts and fears. This subtle negotiation, this dance with discomfort, is the birthplace of an inner fortitude, and it demands we keep moving when everything inside us is screaming for us to quit. Jean-Paul Bédard explores running’s ability to nurture inner resilience and build community, and how it can help us work through the traumas of addiction, depression, abuse, or anxiety. This book is a message strength and hope.