Trust the Process, Outcomes Will Follow

March 22nd, 2026, I got on the treadmill and ran 7.37 miles. It was just another run, but it was also the start of my training block for this ultramarathon. As I approach the end of this journey, I have been thinking a lot about what things were like when I started. Back then, the goal felt so far away and so out of reach. Now, it is just 22 days away, and it feels right around the corner. Somehow, even when it felt far away and I had no reason to believe I could run 100 miles, I kept making progress towards the goal until it became more and more within reach.

The biggest thing that helped me keep making forward progress was enjoying the process instead of just obsessing over the outcome. I didn’t necessarily think about the 100-mile race every day, but I did think a lot about how I could become a better runner, or how I could take care of my body well on that day. I genuinely enjoyed the process. I enjoyed the small gains in fitness and seeing my times drop every couple of weeks. I enjoyed tracking my weekly mileage and learning about nutrition and recovery methods. I loved developing my training plan because it was a constant puzzle to be solved as I figured out how to progressively increase load while taking care of myself so I didn’t get injured. I tried to soak in and enjoy all parts of the process. Trusting that if I fully committed to the process, eventually the outcome would take care of itself.

I haven’t done the 100 miler yet, but so far it seems to be working. I did my highest-volume training week of 85 miles with some gnarly back-to-back long runs, and I felt pretty good. It was something I couldn’t have even come close to 6 months ago. When I think about the whole training journey, I realize it was never just about race day; it was always about the whole process. The goal was never just to finish the race. The goal was to experience something meaningful, and meaningful things take time to build.

I like to set big goals in all the areas of my life, some that I may not achieve, but whatever outcomes I hope to achieve in work, relationships, faith, or hobbies, it sure helps when I enjoy the process. Any outcome worth working towards requires a process, and I’m much more likely to stay committed to that process if I enjoy it. So that’s a big thing I’m taking away from this journey. Life is full of growth periods or “training plans” where we are in the process of working towards some goal. So I’m trying to enjoy the moments of growth and learning along the way, trusting that the outcomes will follow.

Whatever you’re running toward, run with purpose.

Leo