Hey, Terrell. I appreciate the humility of your posts. If for right now you are getting out there on Saturdays only, that's cool. You're still a runner the other six days of the week, whether you're putting in the miles or not. It's impossible not to compare ourselves to prior years and seasons. It's impossible. But it's also unfair to who you are in the present. Keep going.
It makes complete sense! My weekly mileage has plummeted in comparison to last year, but I know it’s just a phase. But the big shift is that when I do go for a run, I enjoy it and I remember why I do it. And that’s massive!
I have to remind myself about the "seasonality" of things CONSTANTLY. I have just started running again — not a whole lot, but much more than I have in the past year or two! — and when I start to bemoan that I'm slower or not as well-conditioned, I force myself to remember: There was a time when you couldn't do this at all! And there were times you had to take breaks, then start over, just like you are now, only to become faster and stronger than you were before.
So much of fitness (and, well, so much of life, in general!) is a mental challenge. Thank you for the reminder that it's all work, it's all progress, even when it feels like we're moving backwards or not at all!
All of the above is so, so true, Rebecca! (And I’m really glad to hear you’re running again, as I remember you sharing a while back that you’d had to stop due to injury. Really glad to hear the healing is happening! ❤️🩹)
Thanks! Unfortunately, the knee(s) are still not great, but the other issue I was having with exercise-induced nausea has improved, which has allowed me to get back into it... Not to mention, I also had signed up for this year's Peachtree last Fourth of July (a tipsy decision I immediately regretted the next day 😂), so I realized a month or two ago that I had better start doing at least SOME running to prepare for it 🤪 I'm happy to say I have been able to run/walk a 10K distance a few times — albeit several minutes slower than when I was running regularly a couple of years ago — so I feel confident that I'll be able to do the race. It'll be my first time doing it!
That is so awesome!! (Even if it was a “tipsy influenced decision 🤣) The nice thing about the Peachtree is the pressure is off vis-a-vis being fast — there are 50,000+ people out there with you, so you can only go so fast. Drink plenty of water and have a blast! Are you running it with anyone?
I’ve been at if for 30 years and the way you refer to “seasons” are definitely the way I view it! Some seasons of life left almost no time for running or health stuff made it harder. Some seasons I’ve seen big growth. Hot summers always see my least miles, even in good seasons. But my goal is just to be able to go out to a trail and run however far I want to run — for the rest of my life. When I think about longevity as the measure, I think slower seasons are good. They give us time to recover, devote energy to other things, come back readier when the time is right. Thanks for sharing!
Once again it seems as though you are writing specifically to me, Terrell!!! As many have commented below, you newsletter is often extremely timely. At the age of 66, I have read so many articles, heard so many podcasts, seen a menopause specialist, etc., etc., that I now fully understand that lifting weights is not an option, it is a must. I learned this past winter that I have osteoporosis (unfortunately somewhat common at my age), so there is another reason that I must incorporate weights (progressive overloading) into my health plan. I overdid running a couple of weeks ago and my knee has been a bit "off" but I am able to continue to do my weights, swimming and walking. I look forward to easing myself into running next week.
In the land of fires, it is often not recommended to run outdoors. The quality of air does not encourage running outdoors. Some of us elect to heed the warnings of health departments.
I feel like I've been running more lately but with less success. By "less success" I mean that, compared to a year ago, or two years ago, I just don't feel as fast or strong. I've been emphasizing stuff I've learned about run training over the past few years: diversifying the types of runs, doing plenty of zone 2, etc. but just not sure I'm making much progress. I really wanted to run a full marathon by end of 2026, but I just haven't been feeling like I'll get there. The Texas heat certainly isn't helping. Things slow down around the university in the summer, so in spite of some busy pockets, I've had more time to run and have been running more! But my sleep is wonky (restless leg syndrome - yay.), so I can't run early before the heat really fires up. As a result, I run in mid-afternoon, when it's like an oven here. On the one hand, it's exhausting and not necessarily a good indicator of my ability; on the other hand, I'll probably feel great when things cool off in the fall!
Right now, it's mid-90s and very sunny most days - the difference between being in the sun and being in the shade is *dramatic.* By late July and into early August, we generally see many days go over 100º, and it usually "feels like" several degrees higher, for at least part of the day. Laying in bed at 11pm, I'll look up at the ceiling, where the time and outside temp is projected, and see it's still in the 90s... I often wonder how the heck people survived living in this before air conditioning!
Working out does seem to be seasonal for me, especially because of my job. Every spring and fall, I work six days a week for about 55 hours a week. Trying to fit in runs and workouts take meticulous planning and that is before even thinking about my social life. So, during this time period, running or going to the gym always seem to get crossed off my schedule.
It takes a while to get out of the rut, but once I finish that first run after some time off, I realize I can do this! But taking that first step is always the hardest.
Perfectly timed post! When I was younger I was such a disciplined runner, faithfully doing yoga and weightlifting to complement my training. Now that I’m older, my sense of what I need - hiking, biking, or running - fluctuates depending upon how I feel and, more importantly, how hot the weather is. I use to beat myself up, feeling guilty about my lack of discipline and motivation. I’m getting better about flowing through each day, doing some activity to stay in motion and being grateful that I’m healthy enough to do so. Upon further reflection, I think my early years were more about being “in my head” (the discipline and keeping a training log) and now they are both “head and heart.” That integration, for me, feels wonderfully balanced.
I've been going through a rough patch with grad school, so I haven't found myself sticking to my workout routine (even though it's only a few times a week). I've been telling myself that it's okay and I'll get back to it soon; not every week is going to be a great workout week! Sometimes I want to focus on creative pursuits more, or I just need a little time out of the gym so I can come back even better. :)
I totally get that, Eli. Especially when the workload gets intense, it’s a lot to juggle! Running/exercise can come to feel like a second job if we let it. I’m trying to find the threshold where I get exercise that it lifts me up/gives me energy for the other parts of my life, yet isn’t so demanding that it feels like a burden. Still working on that… 😀
I have been running for the past 49 years (started at 28), and I have never strength trained. I have completed 17 marathons, as many half marathons, and many more 5Ks and 10Ks. I have no desire to strength train and will probably not start anytime soon.
You are a step ahead of a lot of people in recognising that life is seasonal.
Most people have an "ideal life investment profile" - what they see as a perfect spread of where they spend their time. Unfortunately they measure themselves against this ideal and put a lot of pressure on themselves to do it all. The challenge is realising that the "real investment profile" is different at various stages of their lives. It's all about making intentional choices about what they are going to do and choosing to do it. This also mean letting go of those things they are not going to do - for the season at least.
What makes me feel truly alive? A run in nature. I have never found a better answer. And when I ignore the call of running, I ultimately regret it. And I would speculate most runners feel the same. At the age of 79, I am starting over again because I no longer feel truly alive. And that's a feeling I can no longer tolerate...
Okay there’s a lot going on there, Clark! I’m all ears if you feel like sharing more. (Though I feel that too sometimes; I feel like I go through cycles with that!)
Nothing profound or worrisome. I just know how much better I can feel and my daily one hour walks aren't cutting it. I did a very slow, deliberate 2 mile run today on dirt trails and was thriving the rest of the day. Whatever aches or pains will surely visit this aging body are well worth it. Thanks for checking in. My only unsolicited advice: don't get out of shape. The incline to aerobic fitness gets steeper as we age. Stick with it Terrell. Make it one of life's "non-negotiables".
This resonates for me! I was getting back into running after healing from some injuries when, in March 2025, I got into the NYC marathon by the lottery. I hadn't planned on doing anything close to the marathon again until I slowly built up to it over a couple of years. But I got in, so I just HAD to run it! So I trained during the year, had some setbacks in my training, and barely finished it after 7+ hours. A month or two later, I started to run a couple of times, and I would up in pain. I don't have the money for PT, so I just stopped for a while. And I felt some depression about that.
Then I came up with a plan. I'd start with strength training and get some of my resilience back before starting to run again. I'd start with just body-weight at first, 10-15 minutes a day, just to build the routine, and then I'll slowly add on. But even starting that has been on and off. And this gut isn't getting any smaller. I'm struggling.
So thanks, Terrell, for posting about your struggle. It helps.
Derek, I feel you big time, on everything you've written above. Life just gets so full sometimes, there's a lot to juggle -- and you trained for the NYC Marathon in the midst of all of that! That's an accomplishment, even if it took you 7 hours. You still finished it!
I try to remember that line from the 90s/00s movie Vanilla Sky: "every day is a chance to turn it all around," you know? I try to acknowledge the struggle while always remaining hopeful... some days it works, some days it doesn't. But you just never know, you know? I'm right there with you, my friend 🙌
After 17 consecutive years (there was a brief 18 month window where I could barely walk after a cycling crash during a 150 mile ride, but that’s a story for some other time) of year-round running, I now have a running related injury. Well I don’t know for sure if it is running related yet. Some pain popped up in February, but I ignored it and continued running 40-50 miles a week to ensure nothing got in the way of my running the 2026 Boston Marathon. I waited to have that pain checked out in June, about five months after it first showed up. Luckily the pain only surfaced when I engaged my core muscles when I initiated a run or sat up or coughed.
The doctors are trying to figure out what’s causing the pain, maybe some core muscle micro-tears, but I’ll know more soon. Until then, I have some PT and brisk walking to do. I’m anxious to get back on the street, but I have to be patient so I can be ready to buildup miles and run the 2026 Chicago Marathon.
So far this year, I’ve run 802 miles, hopefully soon I can resume running.
Carlos, I'm seriously in awe, my friend. You clearly have a drive and a stick-to-it-iveness the rest of us can learn a lot from. I hope your pain subsides soon and your doctors figure out what's going on. Hope to maybe meet you on the roads someday! 🙌
Hey, Terrell. I appreciate the humility of your posts. If for right now you are getting out there on Saturdays only, that's cool. You're still a runner the other six days of the week, whether you're putting in the miles or not. It's impossible not to compare ourselves to prior years and seasons. It's impossible. But it's also unfair to who you are in the present. Keep going.
It makes complete sense! My weekly mileage has plummeted in comparison to last year, but I know it’s just a phase. But the big shift is that when I do go for a run, I enjoy it and I remember why I do it. And that’s massive!
I have to remind myself about the "seasonality" of things CONSTANTLY. I have just started running again — not a whole lot, but much more than I have in the past year or two! — and when I start to bemoan that I'm slower or not as well-conditioned, I force myself to remember: There was a time when you couldn't do this at all! And there were times you had to take breaks, then start over, just like you are now, only to become faster and stronger than you were before.
So much of fitness (and, well, so much of life, in general!) is a mental challenge. Thank you for the reminder that it's all work, it's all progress, even when it feels like we're moving backwards or not at all!
All of the above is so, so true, Rebecca! (And I’m really glad to hear you’re running again, as I remember you sharing a while back that you’d had to stop due to injury. Really glad to hear the healing is happening! ❤️🩹)
Thanks! Unfortunately, the knee(s) are still not great, but the other issue I was having with exercise-induced nausea has improved, which has allowed me to get back into it... Not to mention, I also had signed up for this year's Peachtree last Fourth of July (a tipsy decision I immediately regretted the next day 😂), so I realized a month or two ago that I had better start doing at least SOME running to prepare for it 🤪 I'm happy to say I have been able to run/walk a 10K distance a few times — albeit several minutes slower than when I was running regularly a couple of years ago — so I feel confident that I'll be able to do the race. It'll be my first time doing it!
That is so awesome!! (Even if it was a “tipsy influenced decision 🤣) The nice thing about the Peachtree is the pressure is off vis-a-vis being fast — there are 50,000+ people out there with you, so you can only go so fast. Drink plenty of water and have a blast! Are you running it with anyone?
I’ve been at if for 30 years and the way you refer to “seasons” are definitely the way I view it! Some seasons of life left almost no time for running or health stuff made it harder. Some seasons I’ve seen big growth. Hot summers always see my least miles, even in good seasons. But my goal is just to be able to go out to a trail and run however far I want to run — for the rest of my life. When I think about longevity as the measure, I think slower seasons are good. They give us time to recover, devote energy to other things, come back readier when the time is right. Thanks for sharing!
Once again it seems as though you are writing specifically to me, Terrell!!! As many have commented below, you newsletter is often extremely timely. At the age of 66, I have read so many articles, heard so many podcasts, seen a menopause specialist, etc., etc., that I now fully understand that lifting weights is not an option, it is a must. I learned this past winter that I have osteoporosis (unfortunately somewhat common at my age), so there is another reason that I must incorporate weights (progressive overloading) into my health plan. I overdid running a couple of weeks ago and my knee has been a bit "off" but I am able to continue to do my weights, swimming and walking. I look forward to easing myself into running next week.
Again, a great newsletter about weights and LIFE!
In the land of fires, it is often not recommended to run outdoors. The quality of air does not encourage running outdoors. Some of us elect to heed the warnings of health departments.
The ER keeps me running. Helps with the stress at least a little
I feel like I've been running more lately but with less success. By "less success" I mean that, compared to a year ago, or two years ago, I just don't feel as fast or strong. I've been emphasizing stuff I've learned about run training over the past few years: diversifying the types of runs, doing plenty of zone 2, etc. but just not sure I'm making much progress. I really wanted to run a full marathon by end of 2026, but I just haven't been feeling like I'll get there. The Texas heat certainly isn't helping. Things slow down around the university in the summer, so in spite of some busy pockets, I've had more time to run and have been running more! But my sleep is wonky (restless leg syndrome - yay.), so I can't run early before the heat really fires up. As a result, I run in mid-afternoon, when it's like an oven here. On the one hand, it's exhausting and not necessarily a good indicator of my ability; on the other hand, I'll probably feel great when things cool off in the fall!
You no doubt will, Chris!! I bet the difference will be so dramatic… by the way, just how hot does it get there in the middle of the day right now?
Right now, it's mid-90s and very sunny most days - the difference between being in the sun and being in the shade is *dramatic.* By late July and into early August, we generally see many days go over 100º, and it usually "feels like" several degrees higher, for at least part of the day. Laying in bed at 11pm, I'll look up at the ceiling, where the time and outside temp is projected, and see it's still in the 90s... I often wonder how the heck people survived living in this before air conditioning!
Working out does seem to be seasonal for me, especially because of my job. Every spring and fall, I work six days a week for about 55 hours a week. Trying to fit in runs and workouts take meticulous planning and that is before even thinking about my social life. So, during this time period, running or going to the gym always seem to get crossed off my schedule.
It takes a while to get out of the rut, but once I finish that first run after some time off, I realize I can do this! But taking that first step is always the hardest.
Very well said, Leigh! Clearly you’ve done this and made it work — that’s awesome 👏
Perfectly timed post! When I was younger I was such a disciplined runner, faithfully doing yoga and weightlifting to complement my training. Now that I’m older, my sense of what I need - hiking, biking, or running - fluctuates depending upon how I feel and, more importantly, how hot the weather is. I use to beat myself up, feeling guilty about my lack of discipline and motivation. I’m getting better about flowing through each day, doing some activity to stay in motion and being grateful that I’m healthy enough to do so. Upon further reflection, I think my early years were more about being “in my head” (the discipline and keeping a training log) and now they are both “head and heart.” That integration, for me, feels wonderfully balanced.
I've been going through a rough patch with grad school, so I haven't found myself sticking to my workout routine (even though it's only a few times a week). I've been telling myself that it's okay and I'll get back to it soon; not every week is going to be a great workout week! Sometimes I want to focus on creative pursuits more, or I just need a little time out of the gym so I can come back even better. :)
I totally get that, Eli. Especially when the workload gets intense, it’s a lot to juggle! Running/exercise can come to feel like a second job if we let it. I’m trying to find the threshold where I get exercise that it lifts me up/gives me energy for the other parts of my life, yet isn’t so demanding that it feels like a burden. Still working on that… 😀
I have been running for the past 49 years (started at 28), and I have never strength trained. I have completed 17 marathons, as many half marathons, and many more 5Ks and 10Ks. I have no desire to strength train and will probably not start anytime soon.
Jim Newtobn
You are a step ahead of a lot of people in recognising that life is seasonal.
Most people have an "ideal life investment profile" - what they see as a perfect spread of where they spend their time. Unfortunately they measure themselves against this ideal and put a lot of pressure on themselves to do it all. The challenge is realising that the "real investment profile" is different at various stages of their lives. It's all about making intentional choices about what they are going to do and choosing to do it. This also mean letting go of those things they are not going to do - for the season at least.
So well said, Glenda!
What makes me feel truly alive? A run in nature. I have never found a better answer. And when I ignore the call of running, I ultimately regret it. And I would speculate most runners feel the same. At the age of 79, I am starting over again because I no longer feel truly alive. And that's a feeling I can no longer tolerate...
Okay there’s a lot going on there, Clark! I’m all ears if you feel like sharing more. (Though I feel that too sometimes; I feel like I go through cycles with that!)
Nothing profound or worrisome. I just know how much better I can feel and my daily one hour walks aren't cutting it. I did a very slow, deliberate 2 mile run today on dirt trails and was thriving the rest of the day. Whatever aches or pains will surely visit this aging body are well worth it. Thanks for checking in. My only unsolicited advice: don't get out of shape. The incline to aerobic fitness gets steeper as we age. Stick with it Terrell. Make it one of life's "non-negotiables".
This resonates for me! I was getting back into running after healing from some injuries when, in March 2025, I got into the NYC marathon by the lottery. I hadn't planned on doing anything close to the marathon again until I slowly built up to it over a couple of years. But I got in, so I just HAD to run it! So I trained during the year, had some setbacks in my training, and barely finished it after 7+ hours. A month or two later, I started to run a couple of times, and I would up in pain. I don't have the money for PT, so I just stopped for a while. And I felt some depression about that.
Then I came up with a plan. I'd start with strength training and get some of my resilience back before starting to run again. I'd start with just body-weight at first, 10-15 minutes a day, just to build the routine, and then I'll slowly add on. But even starting that has been on and off. And this gut isn't getting any smaller. I'm struggling.
So thanks, Terrell, for posting about your struggle. It helps.
Derek, I feel you big time, on everything you've written above. Life just gets so full sometimes, there's a lot to juggle -- and you trained for the NYC Marathon in the midst of all of that! That's an accomplishment, even if it took you 7 hours. You still finished it!
I try to remember that line from the 90s/00s movie Vanilla Sky: "every day is a chance to turn it all around," you know? I try to acknowledge the struggle while always remaining hopeful... some days it works, some days it doesn't. But you just never know, you know? I'm right there with you, my friend 🙌
I’ve not been able to run the past three weeks.
After 17 consecutive years (there was a brief 18 month window where I could barely walk after a cycling crash during a 150 mile ride, but that’s a story for some other time) of year-round running, I now have a running related injury. Well I don’t know for sure if it is running related yet. Some pain popped up in February, but I ignored it and continued running 40-50 miles a week to ensure nothing got in the way of my running the 2026 Boston Marathon. I waited to have that pain checked out in June, about five months after it first showed up. Luckily the pain only surfaced when I engaged my core muscles when I initiated a run or sat up or coughed.
The doctors are trying to figure out what’s causing the pain, maybe some core muscle micro-tears, but I’ll know more soon. Until then, I have some PT and brisk walking to do. I’m anxious to get back on the street, but I have to be patient so I can be ready to buildup miles and run the 2026 Chicago Marathon.
So far this year, I’ve run 802 miles, hopefully soon I can resume running.
Carlos, I'm seriously in awe, my friend. You clearly have a drive and a stick-to-it-iveness the rest of us can learn a lot from. I hope your pain subsides soon and your doctors figure out what's going on. Hope to maybe meet you on the roads someday! 🙌