Setbacks are a Better Journey

2 Minute Read

“Fall seven times, stand up eight.” – Japanese Proverb

At its core, this quote is talking about resilience—a quality that every athlete inevitably develops.

Becoming (and staying) a runner is rarely a straight path. It’s filled with ups and downs, runner's highs (runner's lows), moments of pure confidence, and instances of doubt. When we fall—whether through injuries, missed training sessions, or mental blocks—it can feel like a significant setback.

But of course, setbacks do not define us. Because everyone has setbacks - we’re all in the same position. What defines us is how we respond to it.

It’s An Opportunity

Setbacks are inevitable; they’re part of every runner’s story. Each challenge—be it physical or mental—tests our resolve. When you find yourself sidelined or struggling, remember: these moments are not failures; it’s actually an opportunity in disguise.

If you never experience setbacks, you never get the opportunity to overcome something. And what's a better story? Someone who breezed to the finish line... and it was kind of easy? Or someone who had injuries, doubt, and started from nothing, but was able to push through, overcome it all, and do something great for themselves? The latter is a better journey.

And with certainty, you'll be a better athlete, and a mentally stronger person in general, as a result of having to overcome the challenge.

Where the Lesson is Learned

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), the only way to truly believe that experiencing setbacks is actually a better... is to live it, push through it, and then experience what it feels like at the end.

Perhaps we can all verbally agree that this mindset is nice in theory, but for it to become a core principle - a true aspect of who you are as an athlete - it has to be lived and experienced. It’s incredibly gratifying, and will cement this idea into your identity.

A Practical Note

Some quick tips, from Long Run's Head Coach (his name is Adam):

1. Don’t just run through an injury. Yes, injury is a setback. But the resilient response is to put the work in to recover, then come back and crush it.
2. Starting over means starting small. And it’s okay to start small! Fitness can be gained much faster than you may think, and starting small is a great way to see fast improvements early on!
3. Drink some coffee. It’s like liquid motivation.

Final Thoughts

“Fall seven times, stand up eight.” It’s a mantra for resilience and growth.

Setbacks make us better. That’s it. And with this mindset, we can build a routine we love, and train consistently. Because with consistency, we build passion.