Life Philosophy: Running Through Obstacles While Carrying Burdens

If I run an obstacle course challenge, I’m gonna opt for running it with the sandbag, right?

Because, if you ask me, running trails, over obstacles, while carrying a heavy weight, mirrors everyday life.

Psychologically, we’re outfitted to pursue goals, but there are always obstacles on the way to those goals.

And our culture’s M.O. is basically this: if there’s an obstacle, take it as a sign to quit. Turn back. Assume you’re going the wrong way.

Or worse, decide you’re just too damn lazy to even try.

So when I’m running an obstacle course, I’m moving through trails, and it gives me that sense of forward motion in life. You’re in a beautiful place, and all is well. And then—an obstacle. You’ve got to climb a wall. Jump over something. Carry a second sandbag. Pull some bricks—whatever it may be.

You could take that as a sign to stop. To say, “Well, there’s a wall here. I guess that means I’m done.”

Or you climb it.

And you climb it with a heavy burden on your shoulder.

Because most days, you’re going to be carrying something.

And the last thing you want is for that burden to be a mopey, inferiority-driven, anxiety-soaked attitude that says, “Who am I? What could I ever do?”

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Mat Coker is a trail running photographer based in Ontario, Canada.

Running barefoot with a sandbag, North of 7 OCR, 2025

If you’re going to carry something anyway, it might as well be a weight that makes you stronger.