Exercise taught me the value of hard work. I learned how to really push myself, and that I felt good afterwards and actually got more fit. Realizing that you're

Exercise taught me the value of hard work. I learned how to really push myself, and that I felt good afterwards and actually got more fit. Realizing that you're getting stronger and suddenly recognizing that your physique improved is amazing. But it also taught me that hard work isn't everything, and moreover, that you can actually push yourself too hard. It got to a point where I ran so much and so hard that I didn't even feel good afterwards. My pace and overall fitness actually started to decrease. Some of my fastest runs were also some of the runs I felt best doing. "Life's a marathon not a sprint". If you try to sprint the full marathon, you'll burn out and finish slower. You need to pace yourself. Work hard, but also smart, and make sure your routine is bearable and sustainable long-term.