Running 105: Carry One More Gel
The Abundance of Margin
I learned the value of abundance through running.
During last year’s race preparation, I started carrying more energy than I technically needed.
For mid-long runs, especially in Singapore’s heat, I would bring a spare gel.
Sometimes I never used it.
But knowing it was there changed the run.
It removed one small worry.
What if I fade too early? What if the weather gets worse? What if today feels harder than the plan?
A gel is margin.
It keeps me in the game.
I can hold the pace a little longer. I do not have to start negotiating with distance at 16 km. I can recover better and show up again tomorrow.
That spare gel lets me focus on the run itself.
I can take it when needed. Reset. Finish the run.
It does not make running easy. The heat is still there. The last few kilometers still ask their questions. But abundance gives me permission to stay with the run a little longer before making a decision.
Sleep works the same way.
One extra hour does not magically make me fitter. But enough sleep, repeated over time, means recovery is no longer always in deficit. The body stops starting every run in debt.
I think this is why abundance matters beyond running.
Many good decisions require a small surplus: energy, attention, time, money, trust, or simply more attempts.
Without that surplus, we become conservative too early. We optimize for not losing instead of staying in the game long enough to discover what is possible.
AI is one current example.
If code can be generated again, the first version does not have to be precious. If an idea can be explored five different ways, the first answer does not have to carry all the weight. If a draft can be rewritten instantly, you can take more risks with the shape of a thought.
But this is not really about AI. AI simply makes the principle easier to notice.
Abundance changes behavior.
It makes risk-taking feel lighter.
Carry one more gel. Sleep one more hour. Stay in the run a little longer.
This is not an argument for endless consumption.
Most of us stop long before abundance becomes waste.
The useful question is not always, “What is the minimum I need?”
Sometimes it is:
“What margin would keep me in the run?”