Luck

One thing I like about running as a sport is that it is not about luck. With the possible exception of catching a cold on race day, how well you run is basically a function of how many kilometres you are willing to put in. While form may be important, and you may get some improvement through strength training, yoga or whatnot, what matters most is your mileage and the base of your aerobic pyramid.

Yesterday in class, we talked about justice, luck and desert. As often, some of the most interesting discussions tend to take place afterwards, when a few ambitious students stay to talk about the topic of the day. In this case, I for instance learnt more about Robert Nozick’s socialist youth and got to discuss global welfare provision. Thinking about my own life, I feel that I have been incredibly lucky, not only with parents who have been supporting me, but in what I have been able to experience and how often I have been able to duck danger. Last year in April, I was having coffee with Ally in the garden of the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem, after a long day of exploration, and I think we will need a few breaks like that if we do get to check out Beirut.