The Momentum Effect

I've heard it said that getting started is the hardest part of anything, and while that's often true, I'd argue there's something even tougher—stopping.

Now hear me out. Once exercise becomes part of your routine, once it's woven into your identity, the idea of stopping feels foreign. Even on the hard days, the exhausted days, the "I don't have time" days, there's an internal pull that won't let you quit. That's momentum. And momentum is powerful.

I've felt it time and time again. Over the years, through life's unpredictability, running and training have remained constants for me. There were mornings I didn't want to run, evenings when the couch looked far more inviting than a workout, but the habit was stronger than the hesitation. Because once you build momentum, once you establish the discipline, stopping feels like breaking a part of yourself.

Momentum Over Motivation

A lot of people assume motivation is the key to consistency. But motivation is unreliable—it comes and goes like the weather. Momentum, on the other hand, is built through action. You don't wait to feel inspired to run or train; you do it because it's part of who you are. One workout leads to the next. One good decision stacks onto another. Over time, it becomes as natural as breathing.

The Cost of Stopping

I've seen it happen—people get into a groove, they build fitness, they feel great, and then life throws a curveball. Maybe it's an injury, a busy season at work, or just a couple of skipped workouts that turn into weeks. Before they know it, they've lost that momentum, and getting started again feels like an impossible climb.

That's why I always tell people: even if you have to scale back, don't stop entirely. Do something. Walk, stretch, lift light, jog slow—whatever it takes to keep the habit alive. Because once you stop completely, inertia sets in. And inertia is hard to fight.

Keep the Streak Alive

The key to longevity in training—whether it's running, lifting, or any form of exercise—is finding a way to make it non-negotiable. It doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to be consistent. There will be days when you don't set PRs, when the run feels sluggish, when you cut a workout short. That's fine. What matters is that you showed up.

Because once you've made exercise a regular part of your life, stopping is no longer an option. You don't do it because you have to—you do it because you can't imagine not.

Keep moving. Keep showing up. Momentum is on your side.

J.R.