My feet hit the cracked earth, my breath quickening, my heart rate rising with each step. My face reddens as the miles pass, sweat trickling down my neck and pooling on my shirt. My hydration pack chafes my sides, and my sports bra rubs uncomfortably against my skin. I forgot the body butter again, but it's worth it. It always is. Over the years, the trails’ hills and valleys have shaped my legs, my calves and quads strong from countless runs. The soreness I’ll feel tomorrow from the long, winding hill may make standing difficult, but as always, the running and the trails offer an escape from the mire, granting me moments of peace and freedom.
Mire: a situation or state of difficulty, distress, or embarrassment from which it is hard to extricate oneself.
Running has been woven into the fabric of my everyday life. Running has seen me through awkward phases of middle school and high school. Powered me through the tough years of high school when I would sometimes run twice a day to manage my anxiety and stress. It helped me create connections in college, running with new friends to bond over last night’s shenanigans. It allowed me to find breath and mindfulness as I began my career in the mental health field. Running has been the one thing I can count on when nothing else makes sense.
I’ve had a love affair with running since I was 11. My first race was humorously named “The Best Dam Race,” as it crossed over a dam in my hometown. In high school, I ran cross country, and during college, I often ran the same route through campus—probably nursing a hangover. While studying abroad in Oxford, England, my favorite route took me through the University Parks along Banbury Road. That experience was challenging; I was surrounded by students who seemed to have found their writing voices, exuding a confidence I hadn’t yet discovered in myself. Running provided an escape from the nagging inner dialogue of not being enough. I've explored many beaches and marshes while running on vacation, and it has been a constant companion in caring for my body, offering a way to take in beautiful sights along the way. Running has always been “my thing.”
My dad has been a runner for as long as I can remember, only stopping when his knees told him no more (Hi Dad, get those knees replaced!). He showed me the value of moving my body for my physical health and soul, how it can be a meditation, an art, a movement to find your way through the mire. He would get up early most mornings to move his body, his personal devotion to self-care.
My husband shares this passion, and some of my favorite moments with him are running behind him on a rocky path or watching him cross the finish line of another ultra trail race. He constantly inspires me to push myself harder and longer during runs, reminding me to ask: why not take on this challenge?
I often wear headphones, blasting music, podcasts, or audiobooks. I save my favorite musician's new albums just for my runs, allowing myself to truly soak them in. Recently, one song has been on repeat. It perfectly captures the feeling of being on the trails, away from the grind of life and the muck and sadness we often can’t escape unless we venture into the woods. The pulse and rhythm of the song drive my legs forward, quickening and slowing with the song’s rise and fall.
Billy Strings’ Away From the Mire is such a beautiful soundtrack for a run. (He has a new album out today, PS)
Let go of the pain
Hold on to the rhythm
That's consciously held back in you
You're drowning a sorrow that's long been at rest
The past is a hell
It can creep up inside you
So let me remind you of this
There's a reason your troubles existIt's enough to make a man stay humble
Every day is just a new chance to stumble
Just to end up gone like everything elseIf ever a time comes around in the wheel
To replace where we stand side by side
We'll be ready and able to fly
Away from the mire
This love affair with running—my constant companion on life’s wild journey—has become one of my most important relationships. It’s not just about staying fit or strong; running offers me the freedom to make choices that work best for me. Do I choose this trail or that? Do I want to run on the road or the trail today? How far or fast do I want to go? It’s the only time I have to enjoy being with myself. It’s when I have my best ideas, and my strongest creative insights, and when I forgive myself for past choices. It’s a time for worship, a spiritual experience, and a moment of quiet solitude.
Healing and growing means finding sacred moments alone, a chance to tend to our needs without the noise of the world or others telling us how to do it or how to do it better.
I hope I never have to give up this love affair, this fulfilling running relationship, it never asks too much from me and only takes what I am willing to give. Our connection is deep and I hope we will share it for a lifetime.
See you on the trails.
xo,
Lindsey
P.S.! If you are curious about ultra running, it is a WHOLE thing. I love following the runners and their attempts at these insane races and securing an FKT (Fastest Known Time). For example, a woman named Tara Dower just slaughtered the FKT for the Appalachian Trail, she was running upwards of 55+ miles a day. Check out
Ultra Minute’s newsletter that covers Ultra Running and Tara’s badass victory. ’s Sarah Lavender Smith is another Substacker sharing about life as a runner.**Disclaimer: The stuff you find on this website or in our online yoga and therapy antics is meant for laughs and general info only. It's not a stand-in for serious medical or therapeutic wisdom. Before you embark on any new yoga moves or delve into our therapeutic shenanigans, consult your healthcare pal. Participation is your choice, and we won't be held responsible for any sudden interpretive dance injuries.
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I love this! And I’m happy to remote that my love and connection to nature grows with each passing day…I used to loathe going out — the humidity and bugs. But now, I see such beauty and damn is it refreshing. But I won’t run 🤣