Do you remember the goal I set for myself at the beginning of the month? A few weeks ago, I shared my goal to run 40 miles in July.
It would be the highest mileage month I’ve had since early in the pandemic and the most consistent running since the car accident last year.
I closed out the week with 25 miles, just 15 away from my goal. With 4 scheduled runs on my Philly 10K training calendar this week, 40 miles was well within reach. If all went to plan, I’d be done at the end of Saturday’s run.
Well, if there’s one thing I’ve learned over this past year, it’s that even when you think you’re in control, your plans are never really anything more than just plans.
Before going out for my run on Sunday, I felt a little off. I had a stuffy nose and a headache. I shook it off and assumed it was because of my air conditioning. During the run, I felt a sense of heaviness in my chest and it was difficult to breathe. I tested positive for Covid as soon as I finished the run.
**screams WTF into a pillow**
As my symptoms progressed throughout the day, I couldn’t think of anything except falling short of my running goal.
- “Why is this happening now?”
- “When will I ever catch a break?”
- “I’m such a failure.”
- “Maybe I’m just not meant to be a runner.”
I’m more conscious of the negative thoughts that come and go in my head. I acknowledge them when they show up and do my best to remind myself that those thoughts are not facts.
Sure, my quest for 40 miles is over but that doesn’t make me a failure. It doesn’t mean I’m not a runner. Instead of sitting in my sadness, I began to accept what was happening and recognize the good that came out of this month:
- We hosted our first group run in Germantown.
- I began training for the Philly 10K.
- Most importantly, I reached 25 miles because of consistency.
Not the goals I set out to complete but definitely milestones worth celebrating. 🎉
I hope this experience can serve as a reminder that life won’t always go as planned, but being able to accept and adapt to change will lead to a more fulfilling life.
