Brendan Morgan didn’t get into running because he loved it. He actually started because he couldn’t stand it.

There’s something honest about that. Instead of looking for the thing he was already good at or naturally drawn to, he went the other direction. He picked something uncomfortable and decided to stay with it long enough to see what would happen.

That decision didn’t just lead to a new habit. It opened the door to something much bigger.

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One of the ideas that comes up early in this conversation is how little control we actually have in day-to-day life. Work schedules, unexpected setbacks, things that don’t go according to plan. Most of it isn’t fully in your hands.

Running, for Brendan, became one of the few places where that changes.

How far you go, how hard you push, when you stop. Those decisions are yours. That sense of ownership is part of what makes it meaningful. It’s not just about the miles, it’s about having something in your life that’s entirely up to you.

It’s easy to avoid hard things when you have the option. Running flips that dynamic.

Brendan talks about how the struggle is part of the appeal. You don’t have to keep going, but you choose to. And in doing that, you start to build a different kind of confidence. Not the kind that comes from things going well, but the kind that comes from proving to yourself that you can handle discomfort.

That’s what keeps pulling him toward bigger challenges.

Early on, the motivation was simple. Do something difficult. See what happens.

Over time, that evolved.

Through longer races and bigger efforts, including running across Pennsylvania, Brendan started to understand what was actually driving him. It wasn’t just about finishing distances. It was about seeing how far he could push himself, both physically and mentally, and using that process to connect with something deeper.

That’s where the “why” becomes more than just a reason to start. It becomes what carries you through the moments when things get hard.

Running plays a clear role in how Brendan navigates his own mental health.

Not as an escape, but as a way to process, to reset, and to create space. It’s also something he’s intentional about sharing. There’s still a gap in how openly people, especially men, talk about what they’re going through.

By showing both sides, the effort and the vulnerability, he’s trying to make that conversation a little more accessible for someone else who might need it.

After certain milestones, the question naturally shifts.

What’s next?

For Brendan, that answer has been to keep extending the challenge. Longer distances, different formats, new ways to test the same idea. Events like backyard ultras stand out because they remove a fixed endpoint. Instead of chasing a number, you’re left with a simple question. How long can you keep going?

That kind of uncertainty is part of what makes it interesting.

There’s a moment in the conversation where everything starts to come together.

After running two marathons in one day, the takeaway isn’t just about that specific effort. It’s about what it suggests is possible moving forward. If you can do this, what else might be within reach?

That shift in perspective doesn’t just apply to running. It carries over into everything else.

At the end of the conversation, Brendan gives advice that feels almost too simple.

Smile.

Not because it makes things easy, but because it changes how you experience the effort. Even in difficult moments, it creates a small shift. One that can be enough to keep you moving.

It’s a reminder that not every tool has to be complicated. Sometimes it’s just about finding a way to stay in it.

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Jon is a runner, cyclist, and podcast host from Boston, MA, who now lives in Boulder, CO. For The Long Run is aimed at exploring the why behind what keeps runners running long, strong, and motivated.

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