Learning to Run All Over Again
Two days ago, I jogged 100 meters.
That’s it. One hundred meters — after four months of not running at all. And for someone like me, that felt like a big deal. I’ve run two half marathons and several 10Ks. I even wrote a blog a couple of years ago about my personal best 10K. So how did I end up restarting from zero?
A toe fracture a few months back. But this story isn’t about the injury. It’s about getting the momentum back.
The Empty Feeling
Four months without running — after years of it being part of my life — left something empty. I stayed regular at the gym. I explored other cardio, like cycling. But I always missed running.
Until two days ago, when I ran that 100 meters and realized the pain was manageable. I felt comfortable again.
Was I able to match my old pace? No. Was I comfortable running a 5K? No way. Could I even run one kilometer without stopping? No.
But I could run. I could begin. That’s all that mattered. It filled me with confidence, and I couldn’t wait to try more.
It’s like learning to walk all over again.
The First Real Run
So I gathered my courage and went for a proper run. I wore my favorite Hoka shoes. It was a hot evening — a heat warning was in place — but I knew a path near home surrounded by trees for shade, about a three-mile round trip. I took it.
I felt comfortable. I took pictures. I walked a little. I came back very thirsty.
This time I listened to music, not a podcast. I wanted to focus on the run itself — and I needed motivation from Eminem — not divert my attention to learning something. It reminded me of the old days, when I would just run with music and not much else going on in my mind.
Being present has its own magic, and I felt it during that run. For me, nothing replaces running. It’s the best therapy. I’ve always seen myself as a runner first, then a lifter.
Never Taking It for Granted
Here’s the thing about anything in life: after some point, we start taking it for granted. It becomes habit. We get strong enough that it feels easy — and easy things are taken for granted. We don’t realize the value of something until it’s taken away from us.
That applies to every aspect of life, but it applies even more to exercise, because the body is wearing out a little each day. It’s not guaranteed that you’ll walk tomorrow the way you walked today. It’s not guaranteed that you’ll lift weights without elbow pain. So whatever little effort you can put in today — you should. Tomorrow, it could be worse.
Quitting running for a few months made me realize this. Despite two injuries in my feet and ankle, I feel blessed that I’m able to walk — and sometimes run.
It took me months to get back on the road and feel confident again. I’m fortunate that my legs work. My toes are in good shape. My knees are okay. My back is fine. So much could have gone wrong, but it didn’t. So I’d better use it. Whatever happens tomorrow, I’m going to squeeze the best out of today.
And on top of all that — the weather here in the USA is amazing for running, and so is the infrastructure. I don’t have to wake up at 3:30 in the morning for a 10K just to beat the traffic.
One hundred meters doesn’t sound like much. But every comeback starts somewhere, and mine started there.
