This week did not have travel, airports or humidity trying to kill me. It did not have dramatic heat spikes or long flights to confuse my body. It was simple and steady, and it turned out to be one of my best weeks yet.

The theme for this week is Finding Joy In The Grind.
Not the big, loud, finish-line kind of joy.
The quiet kind that sneaks up on you during an ordinary session.

It started with structure. I had a full week of strength training and hit every session. Nothing flashy, just consistent lifting, band work and core training. The kind of work that protects your hips, cleans up your stride and lets you run better without even noticing it.

Then came Wednesday, and that was the spark. I was meant to do a 10 km run with a bit of intensity. Halfway through I found a rhythm that felt smooth and strong. The 5 km split landed at 19 minutes and 41 seconds, which is the fastest I have run in twelve years. A new PB in this new era of running. The full 10 km finished in 40 minutes and 25 seconds. That one felt good.

There was joy in that.
Not fireworks, not celebration.
More like a quiet nod that said, this is working.

The downside was my hip letting me know about it the next day. Nothing major, just a reminder that I need more stretching and more core strength as the miles climb. It is all part of building the base properly.

Today’s long run was the opposite of Wednesday. Slow, steady, 4.53 pace, nothing exciting on paper. What made it great was that I spent the entire run talking on the phone with a friend who is also building for her marathon next year. When you talk for that long, the kilometres just disappear. It made the run feel effortless in a different way, and there was joy in that too. Not in performance, but in connection.

That is the thing about the grind.
Most people think joy arrives in the highlight moments.
The PBs, the races, the breakthroughs.

But psychology tells a different story.
There is something called effort-based dopamine.
You do not get dopamine before you start. You get it while you work.
Your brain rewards you for effort, not outcomes.
That is why so many runners talk about feeling better after a run than before it.

Joy is built through repetition.
Joy is built through rhythm.
Joy is built by showing up when no one is watching and no one is timing you.

The brain also adapts to routine in a positive way. When you repeat healthy habits, your mind begins to see them as part of who you are. Psychologists call this identity-based behaviour. You stop saying “I am trying to train” and start saying “I am a runner who trains”. The grind becomes part of your identity, and the joy comes from living in alignment with that identity.

This week reminded me that Tokyo is not just about one big day. It is about months of small choices. It is about steady strength sessions, friendly phone calls, moderate long runs and the occasional surprise PB to keep the spark alive.

You find joy by being here for all of it.
The fast days, the slow days and the days where nothing much happens.
Because those are the weeks that change you.
Those are the weeks that build the marathon.

Tip of the Week

Joy does not arrive at the finish line. It shows up in the work. Look for small wins, steady progress and the moments that feel easy for no reason. That is where the motivation hides.

Next week

More strength, steady base building and attention on mobility so the hip settles. The countdown continues, with winter Canada training just around the corner.