Managing my symptoms of this inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) requires a ton of my energy, so I really like that running takes among the power away from my diagnosis and provides it back to me. I fell into the game after I joined the highschool track team, and in college, I ran alone for fun as an outlet for stress. I finished my first half marathon during my senior yr. Despite making some rookie mistakes (like having zero strategy for sports nutrition and a penchant for running in cotton T-shirts), my mindset was totally dialed in. I used to be—and still am—so grateful to be the one to choose where, when, how far, and how briskly to run.
Since then, I’ve accomplished a sprint triathlon, two marathons, and various half marathons, 25Ks, 10Ks, and 5Ks on the mountain trails near where I live in Juneau. I also did a cross-country, self-supported bike trip (meaning, no crew around to assist with supplies and necessities!) with a friend in 2013, shortly after graduating college. It was each awful and amazing. Riding 2,000 miles from Baton Rouge to California, on a poorly fitting bike with almost no training, I learned I can keep going even when I believe I can’t. That’s a lesson that has served me over and over as a runner.
It hasn’t at all times been smooth sailing, though. After having a baby through the height of the pandemic, I experienced a Crohn’s flare-up shortly after, which I imagine was triggered by the stress of sleep deprivation coupled with managing the whole lot else occurring: my work, my marriage, and running, for starters. In the previous couple of years, I’ve undergone gallbladder surgery, three bouts of COVID-19, mono, and one other upper respiratory infection. For years, it felt like just after I was able to run consistently again, some latest barrier would get in my way. It was demoralizing—until I shifted my mindset. Once I let go of a goal-oriented approach, focused on having fun, and gave myself permission to walk or decelerate, I began to enjoy running again. I used to deal with whatever race I used to be training for, but now I’m blissful simply to run for its own sake.
This doesn’t mean I’ve given up on my running goals, though. Eventually I plan to run either a 50K or 50-mile trail race, but I’m not rushing to get an event on the calendar. At once, I’m specializing in my health and taking someday at a time.