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The Myth of Self-Discipline
What does it take to be self-disciplined? I found it takes more than willpower.
I have been an avid runner for quite some time. My first marathon was the 2013 Rock ’n’ Roll Seattle Marathon. It was a half marathon. My first full marathon was the same race the next year in 2014. Since then, I ran seven full marathons and numerous half marathons before the pandemic hit.
Running a marathon requires good stamina for sure, but more importantly, you need good planning and self-discipline. No one, including top Olympian marathoners, runs a marathon without months of preparation that involves logging at least 20–30 miles per week. If you want to know what a typical training schedule for a marathon looks like, take a look at this popular site. You are basically running 4 days a week with one day of crossover exercise and one rest day.
My training schedule is quite similar with the exception of one or two more rest days. If running an endurance race is a measure of self-discipline, I appear to be a good disciplinarian. However, things are not always what they seem to be.
