The Music Made Me Do It

Before I had kids, I was a runner – and a pretty good one. I’ve been physically and mentally unable to run for more than three miles for nearly four years now. That is really sad considering I have a half dozen half-marathons under my belt. Of course, the mental hang up was probably the bigger obstacle than the physical ones. I went through many weeks of physical therapy for all sort of aches and pains going from my head down to my tailbone after childbirth and I felt that two years later after having my body hijacked, I wanted it back.

So, the other day at the gym, I hopped on the treadmill to walk and I thought, let me just see if I can still run. I don’t have a headache today (which is a miracle) so it shouldn’t be so terrible. I enlisted the support of an old friend Missy Elliott, with her hot new jam “Tempo” and guess what, I can still run! It felt so good to get out of my head and let the music propel my legs forward. My heart was beating fast and I was breathing hard – this is the only way I’ve been able to achieve a certain level of mental clarity. And for that reason, at that exact moment, I remembered why I love running. I also remembered why I love music so much. It has a magical power over me to lift my spirits, change my mood and give me a new perspective within a few short beats.

This year, I also wanted to be really deliberate about my resolutions and goals. Rather than making it a guilty chore that puts more pressure on me, I want to refocus on the things that bring me joy (aside from my kids). So, I vow for 2020 that I am going to get back into running again, one mile at a time, with the help of some good music.

See my current running playlist here!