Assumed audience: Talks about endurance sports and virtues, but in a way that I trust and hope will be friendly to people who have never run a mile in their lives and think “huh?” if I say “virtue ethics”.
…I have seen distance running do the work of turning barges. Running helps people to grow in discipline. It makes them aware of how they are treating their bodies, so they make better choices regarding sleep, eating, and health. It gives them space to introspect so they can think about what is important. It also gives them a new social context — friends who are likewise reflecting, learning to manage their emotions, and trying to improve in a (mostly) constructive activity. This work can and does transform our emotions.
To be clear, distance running is not a panacea for all our ills. It is not… an unqualified good. There are vices not only present in the sport but also reinforced by it. Even so, running can play a constructive role in transforming one’s affections and desires.