365 Days

Greetings, Tribe!

I can’t believe it has been 2 months since I ran the Chicago Marathon! After taking a week off (read: only running one mile a day for a week) and I got after it again.

Originally I had the intention of running a marathon in January, but my heart isn’t in it. While having a specific goal to focus on is very motivating, I realized I needed a break from HAVING to run a specific distance each day. Feeling stressed and guilty about not getting specific workouts in was starting to weigh on me. My body is tired, the holidays are a crazy time, and I just needed a break. So, my goals have shifted. While I continue to do some speed-work, I am also focusing on increasing my weekly strength training and cutting back on processed foods (I don’t eat a lot of processed foods, but I go in spurts. Right now I’m in one of those spurts).

November 23 marked my 365th day of running. Last year I started my streak just to get through the holidays. Hoping that by running at least one mile a day, my pants would continue to fit comfortably through the new year. When January 2 came around, I realized I liked the accountability. Whether it was a bad or good day, whether I had made good or poor food choices, whether it was 6am or 11:55pm, I got my run in. It was a gift to myself to be enjoyed every day. Most days it truly felt like a gift, but let’s realize that some days I thought about just sitting on the couch and enjoying some wine instead. Some days I was speedy and others I only mustered the “shuffle.” My friend Natalie and celebrated this 1year milestone with a run of 36minutes and 50 seconds the day after Thanksgiving.