Hi Midnight Runners family! My name is Erika...
Some of you might know my story, but some might not. So, I’ll keep it short: on 1 February 2014, a day I’ll never forget, I woke up with no feeling in my feet and lower legs. I went from being a distance runner and triathlete to barely being able to walk, literally overnight. After many doctor’s visits, and over the course of several years, I slowly re-taught my body how to run, and in November 2019 ran a marathon, something my doctors told me I would never do again.
To be clear, I didn’t play sports growing up, and do not consider myself “athletically gifted” in any way. I have always been a back-of-the-pack athlete, who simply found joy in movement. I don’t have trainers, nutritionists, or any other fancy resources. I just decided that I would one day be a runner again, and, I did it.
As I’m celebrating my 7-year anniversary of that life-changing morning, I find myself once again, “starting again.” The global pandemic has changed nearly everything in our world. We’ve spent a year feeling uncertain, creating new normals over and over, and experiencing our habits and routines being completely demolished. The community, the high-fives, the hugs, the accountability, the positivity, and the connections we make during every Midnight Runners bootcamp run, just aren’t available to us right now. And because of this, I think a lot of us have lost our motivation to move. I know I have.
...it can also be really easy right now to feel alone. So I’m here to tell you, you’re not the only person feeling this way.
During this time of isolation, combined with so many “fitspiration” posts on social media, it can also be really easy right now to feel alone. So I’m here to tell you, you’re not the only person feeling this way. I see you, and I get it. It’s hard to find the time, the energy, and the drive to get out the door and go for a walk or a run. And as more and more months pass, the harder it is to start again.
But if it’s something you want to do, and you just need a little motivation and guidance about how to do it, I am here for you. I learned a lot about myself, my mindset, and the amazing resilience of the human body, during those years of starting again. So I’m hoping some of what I share here will inspire you to start again too, no matter where you are.
So, the first order of business: throw on your running shoes and some cold-weather gear, and go outside. (Or hop on a treadmill if you prefer.) Take a brisk walk, and throw in a few minutes of running here and there, as you feel inspired. Pay attention to how it feels to move your body this way. Don’t compare yourself to the you of last year, 5 years ago, 10 years ago…I’ll talk about this more later! Just find some time this week to remind yourself that YOU ARE A RUNNER. Welcome back! See you next time for some more motivation!
