Hey friends! Thought I would write a bit.
Before the world changed drastically overnight
I found myself completing the Grand Canyon R2R2R super excited for having
completed a bucket list item in the beginning of the year while training for
many more bucket list adventures and races over this upcoming summer and fall.
This adventure turned out to be every bit as epic as I had imagined. It was an amazing expierence and I would highly recomend it for anyone. Then after R2R2R spening a week in the southwest soaking in hot springs, running in Flagstaff and Sedona. Meeting new friends, playing on trails. It was all pretty epic. (I plan to write about it soon too)
Then, as you all experienced as well, the world drastically changed w/the Covid-19 virus and plans halted. Races
were canceled and I found myself in a weird place mentally, one I had never
been in before. I started to understand better the feelings of anxiety, depression and hopelessness so many people feel regularly, and feel for them all so much more. It was hard to handle even for a very short term and not to an extreme leve, I could not imagine having to overcome it everyday and at a much higher level. So super prpos to every mf doing that rn!
So, I’m an adventurer and traveler at my core, I’ve knows this my whole
life but it’s been even more evident 3 weeks into this staying home and staying
low thing. I got back home to the Midwest around the beginning of March and things started
changing. I started feeling overwhelmed with all the unknown and trying to
filter the news to understand what to absorb and what to ignore (which would be a full
time job in itself). I was on my phone and computer way more than I like to be personally. Then 16 days ago I realized I couldn’t do what I was doing anymore and that I was in control of that.
I was over anxious, I was not running much and not enjoying it, my head hurt, I just wanted to lay
around after work and wait for all this to get over. So I decided on 7 miles a day, 7 days a week. I think
I liked the simplitcity of that and it takes take just an hour each day.
So starting Tuesday morning March 24th and just finished up day 18 today. I"m typcially trying to hammer it out in the mornings before getting started on my day but once in a while i'll let it go and catch the 7 miles on lunch break.
I’m normally always training and running
with these big pursuits in mind, but that is not why I started running years
and years ago. I started running because it makes me a better me. Because it
helps me have an activity to do, stay positive mentally, meditate, find that zone,
all the things that running brings. That is why I started and I honestly feel back to
those basics during these times. I’m still training for pursuits that will come
in time, but not having anything upcoming that you can really depend on its nice to have found running for these reasons again. I
plan to keep this streak going until we are out of these times or until I catch
covid-19. If I have any signs of it at all I will stop running immediately. But for
now, while I’m feeling good physically and coming back around mentally I’m
having a good time running 7 miles a day 7 days a week. Hope you are all
finding ways to cope as well. Happy trails! XOXO
