I’m going to say something obvious: Racing can be very hard and uncomfortable. An obvious result of this is people are often tempted to stop running.

So if you’ve ever been in the midst of a competition—on a hot day, on a tough hill, at the course’s halfway point—and thought of dropping out, it’s not just you. As solitary as those moments can feel, they are happening to athletes all around you, too.

Elite runners aren’t immune, either. Conner Mantz said that he entertains the thought in every race, and he’s an American record holder! Author and coach Steve Magness shared in a Twitter thread that the feeling is very common among pro runners. Morgan Beadlescomb confirmed he has—and has overcome—these thoughts all of the time .

So these two things can be true—many runners consider stopping and many of them complete races every year.…