The Toxic Side of Perseverance

It’s been over a decade since I’ve finished a marathon, but I will never forget those final few miles. My calves turned into dense, heavy cinder blocks. Pain ricocheted through my lower back with every step. My stomach churned with one too many sugary gels. Somewhere around mile 24, my mind yelled: This is enough. I overruled it.

Grit is the stuff of champions—and of the cliches that get printed on T-shirts: Pain is temporary, pride is forever. Rise and grind. Winners never quit; quitters never win.