In my early twenties, I lived for running. In college, I jogged through campus and ran the backs of Cambridge while abroad. After graduating I ran 5ks, then half marathons and even triathlons. For three seasons, I was a girls running coach. I frequently ran the Chicago lakefront.
Then I stopped.
I stopped running consistently because I got pregnant with my son, and my morning sickness was horrible. I stopped calling myself a runner because I wasn’t—and even after I gave birth and was cleared to workout I only ran in fits and starts. Pregnancy was hard on my body; I wasn’t ready.
Now, as summer turns to autumn, I’m finding I’m craving running more than ever before. It was a hard summer, I’m ready to let go of all that’s passed and embrace the change in season. I’m ready for crisp, cool mornings and cozy sweaters, shorter days and longer nights, warm meals and pumpkin spice everything. And I’m ready to run.
Movement—whether running or yoga or other forms of exercise—has always kept me grounded. Returning to running has been like reconnecting with an old friend: my feet bound along the path, my heart warms, breath quickens, eyes open wide. As I run, I drink in the exquisite beauty of the world around me. This is why I love running. It makes me come alive.
Autumn has landed. Change is coming. What do you need to let go of? What do you need to hold onto or rediscover to stay grounded amid transition?
Erin Strybis 