I recently came across a theory in anthropology called the endurance running hypothesis. The idea is that humans didn't win at hunting by being fast. We won by refusing to stop. The traits behind it, the long Achilles tendon, the lack of fur, the sweat glands, trace back roughly two million years, to the early days of the genus Homo. Worth saying upfront, this theory has real critics, and I couldn't find proof of a kill made this exact way. But the physiology checks out. Most animals cool off by panting, and they can't pant while sprinting. We sweat instead, which means we can keep moving in heat that would shut another animal down. Outlast, don't outrun.

People love saying "enjoy the journey." I'd put it differently and say, be grateful for the chase. Every day is a new hunt. New route, new ending, same rule. Whoever's still willing to keep going is the one who makes it through.

And maybe that's the real takeaway. One cannot out-stubborn the human spirit. Not for long, anyway. The one who keeps going usually wins. It's a big part of why underdogs come out on top so often. Someone who already caught their prey has nothing left pulling them forward. But the hunter who's still hungry, who's got people counting on him, doesn't get the luxury of quitting.

The one who persists is the one still standing at the end. The one who runs from effort, discomfort, anything hard, fades out quietly.

Maybe that's why the chase deserves gratitude. There is something valuable about staying a little hungry, even when you don't have to be. A hungry dog will run farther than one that's already been fed.