My life is like a whirlwind these days, filled with immense projects, impending transitions and decisions affecting me without my control.  Add my crazy dislike for planning beyond a few days, and it’s easy to feel like a backseat rider in a high-speed chase. Running is my release.

I find solace in knowing that I determine where my path leads and how hard I want to push that day. No one else feels my sore muscles, or experiences my elation on a strong day. It’s an intimate relationship, and one that’s solely between my body and my mind.  I cherish this secret retreat and find it to be absolutely freeing. No timelines, no pending deadlines, no judgment, no one to impress ….just deep breathes and the rhythmic melody of my feet along the dirt!

Let be clear though - Not every run is magical. There are days, many of them, when I feel my legs are made of lead or like someone shoved large pebbles into my calves while I slept.  Yet other days, my brain is on such over-drive that I miss a root or rock on the trail and do a “gravity check." :)

Then, there are rare days where I feel unstoppable: like an animal running wild.  On those days, my lungs have ample air, my leg muscles are cranking in over-drive, my heart-rate remains steady, and my mind is full of beautiful thoughts. I feel a sense of unstoppable fierceness.

The amazing yoga instructors at CorePower often say “Each day your yoga practice will feel different, and “Yoga practice, not yoga perfect.” It’s often hard to predict which days will allow for a deeper practice versus the days where most of the class is spent laying in shavasana, “corpse pose.” Similarly, each time I lace up the kicks, I’m ready to accept where my body and mind are that day. It’s not until my foot strikes the trail, that I know whether I can push hard or whether I need to show kindness to and have patience with myself.

Running is my sanctuary. For you, it could be something entirely different. Whether it’s mountain biking, climbing, skiing, dancing, parkour, writing, whatever…

Identify it. Pursue it. Delight in it. Embrace the rough days. Celebrate the strong days. Do it for you!