“My favorite athletic moment wasn’t part of any competition. I must have been around 30 years old when I went out for a long run. At that time, my running pace was probably around eight minutes per mile. I didn’t have a particular route or distance in mind; my usual runs were between 3.0 to 3.5 miles. I remember how, if I missed a few days of running, I didn’t feel like myself—I became anxious and discontented.

Then, one Saturday morning, something remarkable happened. I set out and ended up running about 10 effortless miles. It was as if I was in a state of flow; I had no idea I could run that far. I even felt like I could have gone another 2.5 to 3 miles if I had wanted to. I tackled uphill and downhill segments, varying my pace effortlessly. My body, mind, and spirit were completely aligned. It was a rare moment of synergy that I’ve seldom felt in any other activity.

If I had a time machine, I would gladly go back to that moment, that place, just to experience that level of health, happiness, and contentment again.”