We all lose sometimes. We fail to get what we want. Friends and loved ones leave. We make a decision we regret. We try our hardest and come up short. It's not the losing that defines us. It's how we lose. It's what we do afterward.

Every single one of us possesses the strength to attempt something he isn't sure he can accomplish. It can be running a mile, or a 10K race, or 100 miles. It can be changing a career, losing 5 pounds, or telling someone you love her (or him).

You could carry your burdens lightly or with great effort. You could worry about tomorrow or not. You could imagine horrible fates or garland-filled tomorrows. None of it mattered as long as you moved, as long as you did something. Asking why was fine, but it wasn't action. Nothing brought the rewards of moving, of running. Sometimes you just do things.

We can live as we were meant to live - simply, joyously, of and on the earth. We can live with all our effort and with pure happiness.

Overcoming the difficulties of an ultramarathon reminds me that I can overcome the difficulties of life

We move forward, but we must stay in the present.

The point was living with grace, decency, and attention to the world, and breaking free of the artificial constructs in your own life.