People complain about pain and exhaustion like they’re bad, but I find them sometimes the best feelings I know.

As you know, I’m registered for this year’s marathon. A couple months ago I hurt my ankle and couldn’t run for a while. Yesterday I decided to run four or five miles for the first time. I felt great. So great I decided to run along the Hudson River all the way to Central Park, a mile there, and back. Something around seven to nine miles with some good hills. I got home after dark.

Today my body is sore. When I’m in shape a half-marathon doesn’t leave me this sore, but I’m not in great running shape.

While the soreness makes moving hard and slightly painful, it feels great. Glorious even. It reminds me I felt good enough to double my distance and was fit enough to do it and aware enough to know if I hurt myself — I would have run farther, but my toes were starting to get blisters.

Last night’s exhaustion felt great too. My evening burpees afterward were my hardest in a while because of the run, but made me exhausted. It feels so good to collapse on your bed after a strenuous workout.

People complain about exhaustion and soreness. I think they’re great.

Why don’t people like exhaustion and soreness?

If I like the feelings so much, why do people complain about feeling exhausted and sore? I think people don’t like them when they come from doing things they don’t like.

Exhaustion from doing a big project with your kids? I bet people like that.

Exhaustion from having to stay late at work on a project you don’t care about? I bet people don’t like that.

All the more reason to fill your life with things you love. Besides the reward of loving what you do, you turn emotions and feelings you resent into emotions and feelings you love.

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