Heavy Feet, Heavy Heart

Running is about being who you are on that day. It is honest - more honest than I am, sometimes. I may pretend I never ate that second piece of chocolate cake, but when I start a sprint session there is no way I can hide from the truth!
On Tuesday, my footfall was heavy. I don't mean just any heavy. I mean I felt like a great thundering mammoth that could not pick my feet off the ground. I tried to step lighter, shorten my stride, straighten my posture, control my breathing...but no matter what I tried, my feet continued to feel as if I was lifting weights far greater than I could carry. I pondered over this and tried to attribute it to a cause: I had eaten healthy, rested well, and even taken a light day of training the day before.

It wasn't until halfway through the session that it all connected with me: Heavy feet, heavy heart.
I thought about this for a few laps. I accepted that everything is not well. And I reminded myself that not everything has to be well right now. I embraced my grief and felt no need to pretend it wasn't there.
And do you know what? By the end of the session, my foot fall was much lighter.
And that, my friends, is one of the reasons I run.