👋🏻 Hello Reader...!

Today's reading time is about: 6 to 8 minutes.

Happy New Year! I hope 2026 has started gently for you — with good conversations, meaningful rest, and maybe even a slice of rosca shared with family as we celebrate Epiphany / Three Kings Day across Latin America.

The beginning of the year carries a unique energy. New goals. Fresh motivation. A sense of reset.
And yet… most people won’t make it past January.

Not because they’re lazy.
Not because they lack discipline.
But because starting again is a neurological challenge, not a motivational one.

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🧠 Why Most People Quit right after January

From a neuroscience and behavior standpoint, three things usually break the restart cycle:

1. Motivation fades faster than habits form​
Motivation is emotional and short-lived. Habits require repetition under low friction. When goals are built on excitement alone, they collapse once life resumes.

2. Goals are framed too big, too fast​
Your brain perceives drastic change as a threat. When training volume, diet, or expectations spike suddenly, the nervous system responds with resistance — not adaptation.

3. There’s no identity shift​
People try to do new behaviors without becoming the type of person who does them consistently. Without identity alignment, adherence disappears.

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Post of the week 'I'm not retiring' - Kipchoge's marathon world tour. Read article

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🔬 What Science Tells Us About Starting (and Restarting)

Research in behavioral neuroscience and habit formation consistently shows:

• Consistency beats intensity in the first 4–6 weeks
• Small, repeatable actions lower cognitive load and increase adherence
• Identity-based habits (“I’m someone who trains”) outperform outcome-based goals (“I want to lose X weight”)
• The brain adapts through frequency, not perfection

Starting again isn’t about willpower.
It’s about designing an environment your brain can succeed in.

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🏃‍♂️ Practical Takeaway for This Week

If you’re restarting training or habits this January, try this:

✅ Commit to showing up, not performing
✅ Keep sessions intentionally short and easy
✅ Anchor your habit to an existing routine (same time, same place)
✅ Track completion, not performance
✅ Leave each session feeling like you could do more

Momentum is built when the brain learns: this is safe, repeatable, and sustainable.

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🔁 Weekly Challenge

For the next 7 days, don’t aim to improve.
Aim to repeat.

One simple action. Same time. Same cue.
That’s how habits survive January.

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🏃‍♂️ 2025 in Running — A Brief Recap

2025 marked a milestone year for global running, defined by record participation, elite performances, and a clear shift toward community, mindset, and technology.

🌍 Major Marathons & Road Racing

The Abbott World Marathon Majors reached unprecedented demand. Races like the New York City Marathon, Boston Marathon, London Marathon and Berlin Marathon saw historic entry numbers, ultra-competitive lotteries, and standout elite performances—often decided by seconds. Marathon running fully entered an era where access became as challenging as qualification.

🏟️ Championships & Elite Athletics

The World Athletics Championships anchored the track season, showcasing a new generation of middle- and long-distance stars while reaffirming endurance events as fan favorites. At the same time, the sport faced renewed conversations around integrity, transparency, and anti-doping—especially at the elite level.

🏔️ Trail & Ultra Boom

Trail and ultra running surged in popularity. Global circuits expanded, with demanding races joining international series and attracting both elite and amateur runners seeking adventure, challenge, and meaning beyond the road. Long-distance trail events became one of the fastest-growing segments of the sport.

⚙️ Technology & Lifestyle Shift

Wearables, smart gear, and data-driven training went mainstream in 2025. Running watches, AI-supported coaching tools, and even smart footwear blurred the line between performance gear and everyday lifestyle tech. At the same time, mental health, recovery, and balance became central themes in training conversations.

👥 Community & Culture

Running clubs exploded worldwide, fueled by post-pandemic social reconnection and platforms like Strava. The sport grew more inclusive, global, and community-driven, with increased focus on diversity, sustainability, and purpose-based running.

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🧭 The Big Takeaway

2025 wasn’t just about running faster—it was about running smarter, together, and with purpose.​
Participation hit new highs, formats diversified, and the endurance mindset evolved to include body, mind, and community.

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Why do you think most people quit their goals in January? 🔘 Goals are too ambitious too fast 🔘 Lack of structure or plan 🔘 Life stress takes over 🔘 Motivation fades 🔘 They never built the habit

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📣 A Quick Note on What’s New

This year also marks the launch of Endurance Mindset en Español — a science-based endurance newsletter designed for Spanish-speaking runners and endurance athletes.

If you’ve found value here, I’d love your help:
👉 Share it with a friend, training partner, or family member​
👉 Invite them to follow and grow with us in 2026

Community is built one conversation at a time.

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Let us know what interests you the most at the 'Preferences' link below!
​¡Cuéntanos qué temas te interesan más en el enlace 'Preferencias' al final de este correo!

References

• Lally, P., van Jaarsveld, C. H. M., Potts, H. W. W., & Wardle, J. (2010). How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world.European Journal of Social Psychology, 40(6), 998–1009.
• Gardner, B., Lally, P., & Wardle, J. (2012). Making health habitual: The psychology of “habit-formation” and general practice.British Journal of General Practice, 62(605), 664–666.
• Wood, W., & Rünger, D. (2016). Psychology of habit.Annual Review of Psychology, 67, 289–314.
• Baumeister, R. F., & Tierney, J. (2011). Willpower: Rediscovering the greatest human strength. New York: Penguin Press.
• Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits. New York: Avery.
  (Referenced for behavioral framing; concepts supported by peer-reviewed literature above.)
• Neal, D. T., Wood, W., & Quinn, J. M. (2006). Habits—A repeat performance.Current Directions in Psychological Science, 15(4), 198–202.
• Verplanken, B., & Orbell, S. (2003). Reflections on past behavior: A self-report index of habit strength.Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 33(6), 1313–1330.​

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Thanks for being here at the start of a new year.

Let’s build habits that last — in training, in health, and in life.

Coach Henri.
​Your Endurance Mindset Team

Pray 🙏 - Love ❤️ - Run 🏃‍♂️ ​​​​​​​

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