Mile 11: The Pursuit of Excellence

What does excellence mean when your best days are behind you—or just beginning?

In this episode, we unpack chapter 11 of The Runner’s Paradox, where excellence is less about crossing a finish line, and more about learning how to keep showing up.

This episode discusses how long-distance running shapes, challenges, and ultimately matures our idea of what it means to pursue something deeply, year after year.

We explore how excellence evolves with age, injury, and identity. Backed by new research on brain endurance, athlete cognition, and high-performance psychology, we ask: What if excellence isn’t about doing more, but knowing more? What if it’s not about reaching a standard, but learning to redefine it?

From mental fatigue training to the ethics of “enoughness,” this episode is about ambition that grows up—and still runs.

Based on The Runner’s Paradox by Ying. Get your copy of the book at therunnersparadox.com. Listen mid-run, especially when you’re questioning why you still care this much. You’re not chasing perfection. You’re practicing presence.

New references discussed (2023-2025)

​ Zentgraf, K., & Raab, M. (2023). Excellence and expert performance in sports: What do we know and where are we going? [Preprint]. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/372039098_Excellence_and_expert_performance_in_sports_what_do_we_know_and_where_are_we_going

​ Roelands, B., Hettinga, F., & Meeusen, R. (2024). Optimizing athletic performance through brain endurance training. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 19(10), 973–981. Retrieved from https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/19/10/article-p973.xml

​ André, Q., Smith, J., & Dupont, A. (2025). Resistance to mental fatigue in endurance athletes: Cognitive effort and self‑regulation. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, Article 1616171. Retrieved from https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1616171/full

​ Wang, T., Zhong, Y., & Wei, X. (2024). Early excellence and future performance advantage in endurance athletes. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 6, Article 11198806. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11198806

​ Galily, Y., Bar‑Eli, M., & Wininger, S. (2024). Psychological complexity beneath high performance: Reframing athlete success. Current Opinion in Psychology, 66, 102344. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667239124000224

​ Schindler, M. (2023, July 7). The pursuit of enoughness in endurance: Reclaiming performance boundaries. Trail Runner Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.trailrunnermag.com/training/mental-training-training/enoughness