Introduction I’ve been an avid runner for about twenty years, someone who genuinely loves the rhythm of racing and the structure of training. Earlier in my career, marathon prep became a ritual: five days a week of running, high weekly mileage, carefully timed speed work, strength training, and tune-up races. These rituals didn’t happen in a vacuum. I was also experiencing a great deal of work stress from a demanding full-time job, often checking emails well past 9:00 PM, the