Hannah Dignan

“One interesting thing I’ve noticed in my career is that breakthroughs often come after periods of struggle. Every runner, if she keeps it up for a while, will eventually hit a rough patch—a time when she might plateau, fall short of her goals, or give it all on race day only to have a result that doesn’t align with what she would have done in training. Those setbacks or challenges aren’t fun, but they’re often catalysts for the change and growth that ultimately propel her forward.”
― Neely Spence Gracey, Breakthrough Women's Running: Dream Big and Train Smart

“We couldn’t be more wrong. Storms are a universal part of the human experience. No one escapes suffering or the day-to-day wear and tear on our human existence. “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous,” Jesus reminds us (Matt. 5:45). And “in this world you will have trouble,” He warns (John 16:33). Although our choices impact our path, we can’t control the weather as we walk it. And just as weather reveals the stability of a home, suffering exposes the status of a person’s faith.”
― Michele Cushatt, A Faith That Will Not Fail: 10 Practices to Build Up Your Faith When Your World Is Falling Apart

“In Greek mythology, Pallas Athena was celebrated as the goddess of reason and justice.1 To end the cycle of violence that began with Agamemnon’s sacrifice of his daughter, Iphigenia, Athena created a court of justice to try Orestes, thereby installing the rule of law in lieu of the reign of vengeance.2 Recall also the biblical Deborah (from the Book of Judges).3 She was at the same time prophet, judge, and military leader. This triple-headed authority was exercised by only two other Israelites, both men: Moses and Samuel. People came from far and wide to seek Deborah’s judgment. According to the rabbis, Deborah was independently wealthy; thus she could afford to work pro bono.4 Even if its members knew nothing of Athena and Deborah, the U.S. legal establishment resisted admitting women into its ranks far too long.”
― Ruth Bader Ginsburg, My Own Words

“A successful running journey begins with clear, compelling goals. That seems simple enough, but there’s an art to setting goals that are right for you as an individual—they must be big enough to excite you but not so out of reach that they set you up for disappointment. They also need to acknowledge where you are right now in your running life and your life overall.”
― Neely Spence Gracey, Breakthrough Women's Running: Dream Big and Train Smart