Run to Eat? No! Eat to Run!

I put it off for a while. I did not do it for my 15K. To be fair, I had not really needed to carb load for my 10Ks, since they were under 90 minutes. But then it was time. Time to rip off the bandaid, go against all modern diet advice, discard my usual whole foods, whole grain, high protein, high produce way of eating, and eat all the carbs. I did it for a day, and it worked! Then I did it for three days, and it really worked! And I was off to the races on carb loading, literally.

I carb loaded for all of my recent longer races, including that first half marathon back. The rule is to carb load for any race over 90 minutes (Featherstun, n.d.). This allows the body to max out its glycogen stores (which should also be somewhat replenished by fueling during the race to avoid bonking). More glycogen means more speed! (Burning fat for fuel is possible, but provides much slower results.) Sports medicine science says to carb load with 10 – 12 grams per kilogram of bodyweight for two days, or 8 grams per kilogram for three days (Thomas et al., 2016). (I have aways gone with the latter.) Some say that only one day is needed for the half marathon (Rosner, n.d.). The Featherstone Nutrition Calculator always tells me to carb load for three days, however. I figure, "What could it hurt?"

Another benefit of carb loading for three days is that it simplifies digestion. Things like fiber take 36-48 hours to pass fully through the body, so carb loading with simpler carbs for three days ensures that any potentially irritating foods have already passed through (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2025). It is also easier to eat simpler carbs in larger amounts (T100 Triatholon, n.d.). I told myself while carb loading that it was not forever, and that an extra few days of eating carbs before the half marathon could only stand to help, not hurt my results. And I definitely carb loaded three days before my marathons.

The problem is that just carb loading was not enough. Endurance sports require enhanced overall nutrition. While I increased that somewhat over the past few years, I apparently did not increase it enough. That, the health professional think, is what caused my recent injury. And so, I set out to eat more.

No science is perfect, but the thought is that energy surplus is best for runners. The current number is 45 calories per kilogram of fat free mass per day (Melin, 2019). For the average American woman weighing 170 pounds and being at about 40% body fat, that is about 2,000 calories a day, and that is without exercise (Borrud et al., 2010; National Center for Health Statistics, n.d.)! With increased energy expenditure due to long-distance running, it is easy to see how a person could get behind. So I ate more.

While recovering from my injury, I ate as much or more than while training for my marathon. Yes, I gained weight. It wasn't fun. But I wanted to return to running, and I knew I had no chance of doing so and not getting hurt again, so I ate. While I was not running, I was eating to run, because that is the commitment that the sport requires.

In a society that says eat less, move more, runners have to eat more to move more—and not just junk, because then they feel like junk. They need lots of carbs, lots of fat, lots of protein--all the things. Sure, I eat simple carbs when carb loading, but that is just for three days. The rest of life is a lot of focus on a lot of nutrition, something I am learning even more about as I progress back to running again*. I am learning anew what it means to eat to run, not run to eat. Regardless of what society may say, eating to run is serious business!

*Note: I am not a dietitian, just sharing what I have studied and learned along my running journey, most recently with a lot of professional dietitian support!

References:

Borrud, L.G., Flegal, K.M., Looker A.C., Everhart, J.E., et al. (2010). Body composition data for individuals 8 years of age and older: U.S. population, 1999–2004. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital health stat 11(250). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_11/sr11_250.pdf.

Featherstun, M. (n.d.). Carb loading: What, why, and how-to. Featherstone Nutrition. https://www.featherstonenutrition.com/carb-loading/

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2025, June 6). Digestion: How long does it take? Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/indigestion/expert-answers/digestive-system/faq-20058340

Melin, A. K., Heikura, I. A., Tenforde, A., & Mountjoy, M. (2019). Energy Availability in Athletics: Health, Performance, and Physique. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 29(2), 152-164. Retrieved Jun 27, 2026, from https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2018-0201

National Center for Health Statistics. (n.d.). Body measurements. Center for Disease Control. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/body-measurements.htm

Rosner, J. (n.d.). Carb loading by race distance: Half-marathon and marathon. Science in Sport. https://www.scienceinsport.com/sports-nutrition/carb-loading-by-race-distance/

Thomas, D. T., Erdman, K. A., & Burke, L. M. (2016). American College of Sports Medicine Joint Position Statement. Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 48(3), 543–568. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000852

T100 Triatholon. (n.d.). Fuel up right: Best foods for carb loading before a triatholon. https://t100triathlon.com/articles/nutrition/best-foods-for-carb-loading/

Weight Gain As A Runner

And it turns out, I need an even bigger body to accomplish my goals. I thought I was fueling well. I thought I was eating enough, given that my weight was stable, if not going up. But it turns out my body needed more, a lot more.

The little bit of weight gain I experienced while marathon training? Well, that was probably due to the training, as a small weight gain is related to higher metabolism, hydration, and training (1HUTTBOLE, 2026). Two to five pounds during a marathon training cycle reflects muscle mass, more glycogen, and more water stored with that glycogen (Gaudette, 2026). It turns out that my body needed more actual weight, though. It needed more weight to feel safe, to protect itself. I was fearing weight gain more than injury, and then the injury happened (Sekely, 2026). I never intended to set out on this journey to build a bigger body, but my stress fracture brought me to it, and I hope nutrition and weight gain will bring me through it.

It turns out that being heavier is actually better for my skeleton. "Being lighter doesn’t necessarily mean you’re putting 'less stress' on your skeleton especially if it means you’re falling into a state of low energy availability" says Registered Dietitian Serena Marie (2026). While I was not intentionally in a state of low energy availability, that was the only cause medical professionals could hypothesize as a cause of my injury. Additionally, my bone density was lower than "normal," and the only way to fix that was to gain weight in order to increase load on the bone (Haver, 2026). Then I had to grow bigger muscles to support that bone. And so I set out to do what the professionals told me: Eat in an energy surplus and then lift heavy.

It was not fun or easy to eat like a marathoner while not running. I guess I thought if I was in an energy deficit, my body would course correct as I ate more. Not so. It turns out that my body, just wanted to gain weight, and that weight gain happened quickly. I wrestled with it greatly. My clothes did not fit the same. I felt gross. I started to not recognize my body. Apparently this period of weight gain is something that happens to a lot of runners as they start to fuel correctly (Alm, 2026). I just started running a lot later in my life, and so the associated weight gain and body changes had to come later, when I already had a long history with a different body.

I will be honest that I initially fought the body changes, but I realized I could not continue living at war with myself every single day. So I had to change my goals. I had to change my goals to be to see how strong I could get, regardless of body size. I had to accept that I might need to buy all new clothes. I had to decide to live for my future self and not just my comfortable now self.

I have hopes that there are more running adventures (and maybe even more personal records?) on the other side of this. I have read stories where this is true (Amy Elizabeth, 2026, Infeld, 2024; Infeld, 2025; Quiet-Painting3, 2025; Run_Fast3r, 2023). But more than anything, I want to be healthy. I want to run longer. And I hope, to learn to accept myself in new ways. To quote Therapist Emily Brazier (2025), "So yeah, my body has changed. But so have I." I hope I get to the point that she did to say, "And I’m really proud of both."

So here's to the weight gain. Here's to the change. Lord help me! 

References:

Alm, M. [Host]. (2026, June 19). Q&A with Maddie - 32. [Audio podcast episode]. In Fueling Forward. https://rss.com/podcasts/fuelingforwardpodcast/2925615/

Amy Elizabeth. [@TinkGoesToArizona]. 2:59 → 2:44 On Monday in Boston, I closed the chapter on every PR I set while underweight.I’m a completely [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/DXfIacWgXvS/). 

Brazier, E. (@_healingwithemily_). Let’s be honest, my body has changed… a lot. And I’d be lying if I said I don’t still have [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/DX2ZyyUinlj/

Gaudette, J. (2026, April 29). Weight gain during marathon training: 3 causes explained. Runners Connect. https://runnersconnect.net/weight-gain-marathon-training/

Haver, M. C. (2026). The new perimenopause: An evidence-based guide to surviving the zone of chaos and feeling like yourself again. Rodale books.

Infeld, E. [@EmilyInfeld]. (2024, February 21). PSA to runners - skinnier is not faster! I get so sad when younger runners are worried about their weight and [Video]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3oH6lGApVb/

Infeld, E. [@EmilyInfeld]. (2025, November 17)). I didn’t get faster by getting smaller — I got faster by fueling. My running has never been defined by how [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/DRLKoDKEoWa/

1HUTTBOLE. (2026). Does anyone else gain weight when running more? [Online forum post.]. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultramarathon/comments/1r6fcte/does_anyone_else_gain_weight_when_running_more/

Quiet-Painting3. (2025). I’ve found fueling to be the key for me. It allows me to train and recover better. I haven’t weighed  [Comment on the online forum post Getting faster despite having a heavier scale weight.]. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/XXRunning/comments/1kzrewv/getting_faster_despite_having_a_heavier_scale/

Run_Fast3r. (2023). Extra weight won’t slow you down unless you gain too much body fat. Gaining weight by lifting weights and eating [Comment on the online form post Gaining weight as a distance runner]. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/trackandfield/comments/12vgq6e/gaining_weight_as_a_distance_runner/

Serena Marie. [@SerenaMarieRD]. (2026, May 1). Being lighter doesn’t necessarily mean you’re putting “less stress” on your skeleton esp if it means you’re falling into a [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/DXzAUV6R_rV/)

Sekely, V. (@trainsmartrunstrong). (2026, May 6). Gna hold your hand when I say this… [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/DYAGOKekRIk/?img_index=2

LESS Fear

Whew. It has been a long last few months. My injury accelerated the downward spiral, but let's be honest, the downward slide started long before that. Thankfully, here at the end of this month, it seems like things have started to turn a corner.

While I don't remember exactly how I got to my word for this month, I do know that I needed it. I have been living in so much fear: fear of pain, fear of re-injury, fear of my body changing during my healing, fear of never being able to run again, fear of never feeling happy, fear of the future, fear of the next shoe dropping, etc. It was not doing me any good. 

The Bible has a lot to say about fear. Specifically, it says not to fear men, or people, or things, but to fear God. During this month, I chose to meditate five minutes each day on one verse about fear. I am sure that I only scratched the surface of what the Bible has to teach about fear, but here are a few things I learned:

• I don't need to fear. If God is for me, who can be against me? (Isaiah 41:10; Romans 8:31)
• God is the only one I should fear, because he has power over life, sin, and death (Deuteronomy 10:12; Psalm 112:1, 7; Ecclesiastes 3:14; Isaiah 35:4; 1 Corinthians 15:55-56; Hebrews 2:14-15)
• My fear of God should bring Him praise (Proverbs 31:30).
• God redeems. Therefore I should not fear the past. While I may have consequences for sins and misdeeds, God is with me. He is my strength (Isaiah 55:4; Phil 4:13). 
• My fear of God should cause me to obey Him and walk in His ways (Deuteronomy 6:2, 13, 24; Deuteronomy 8:6, Deuteronomy 10:20; Deuteronomy 13:4; Lamentations 3:57)
• I am not a slave to fear or sin. I am a daughter of God! (Romans 8:15)
• Nothing separates me from God’s love. Separation from God would be something to fear! Why fear tomorrow when I know that because of saving faith in Jesus, I’ll be with Him forever? (Romans 8:38)

While it was probably not something I needed to do, I also made a "Fear Not!" board on Pinterest to collect quotes. I journaled one a day. Initially, I thought I would write creatively and make this a calligraphy project. More days than not, I ended up squeezing in my journaling at the end of the evening, copying what I saw in the Pinterest pin more than anything else. While not as helpful as the Bible verse meditation, this was a fun quest and did help my mindset.

After a very rough week and a tough day on Thursday, July 17th, with the approval of my PT and a commitment to face fear, I ran again for the first time. It was scary, but I didn't want to live in fear of what would happen. Thankfully, I ran with very little to no pain. Sure, I only ran 30 seconds for four intervals, but it was something! I still have a long ways to go in my recovery, but Lord willing, with God's help, I will keep going, looking forward to seeing what God will do, living more and more in fear of him alone.

Everything I Did to Heal My Stress Fracture

I hope I never, ever get a stress fracture again! I have been trying to document this journey, however, so I made a list of things I did/have been/am doing in my healing process. I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or physical therapist. This is just my protocol based on my own research, as well as the recommendations of the experts I saw:

1. I drank coffee with RNWY collagen in every day for a least a month. I started this because I thought I had a tendon injury, but when I found out it was a stress fracture, I continued, as there is some limited evidence that collagen might help with bone healing (Karaytug, 2021; Sun et al., 2025). It might also help with bone density, something I want to build in order to avoid future such injuries (Ask the Doctors, 2025; Konig et al, 2018). While I knew that rest might help my healing most, I also wanted to help my body along where I could. As an ongoing practice, I still drink coffee with collagen two to three times a week.

2. I stopped running. Yes, I probably should have done this first, and yes, I ran on my stress fracture. (I don't recommend this.) At first, I ran ignorantly, but after diagnosis, yes, I ran five more days (a mile a day). I didn't want to abandon my run streak. I was taking the orthopedic PA's advice to "do what pain allowed" and using it to my advantage. I wanted to convince myself that I could run through healing. I was in denial. But then I talked to my nurse mom, who advised doing no impact activities only. The next morning, the pastor preached about selfishness at church, and I realized it was time. I was still hurting. To submit to God and my husband, I needed to stop running. No other gods before God. No purposeful selfish decisions that would harm others. (I also knew I would not be running that weekend when we went to California for my brother's wedding, unless I tried to sneak around under the cover of darkness, and that was not my plan.)

3. I ate, a lot, especially sugar and simple carbs. After the finding out about my injury, I was very hungry. (I was just coming off a half-marathon, and I think the initial pain probably blunted my appetite.) I also felt very stressed, so my cortisol may have been triggering stress eating. Increased sweets cravings, especially for chocolate, was documented in at least once research study of individuals with fractures (Nicoll, 2019). Since I heard that bone healing is energy expensive, I indulged myself (Brown, 2019). This did lead to weight gain, but I figured I could either be mad that I could not run because I slowed my healing by restricting calories, or feel different in my body and hopefully run again. I chose the latter.

4. I reduced my salt intake, and I stopped putting salt in my hot chocolate. With exercising so much less, I didn't need quite as much sodium. I also heard that salt might leech calcium out of the body (Tiyasatkulkovit, 2021). I wanted to keep as much calcium as possible around in order to rebuild my bone!

5. I started taking calcium chews, and then added a vitamin D supplement. Was I low in either nutrient? Not technically, but I don't eat a lot of dairy, and my vitamin D was below the 40 plus recommended for runners (Momaya, 2025). My dietitian said one 1,000 mcg supplement could not hurt me, so I took it (and I am still taking it).

6. I ate a bowl of fortified cereal with whole milk almost every night for the first twelve weeks of my recovery. And on that note, I switched most of my dairy products from low fat to skim, as fat boosts vitamin D absorption (Dawson-Hughes, 2015). Extra fat could also contribute to the energy surplus my dietitian recommend. While I am not eating cereal every night anymore, I am still trying to eat lots of dairy, as much as possible of the full-fat variety.

7. I started seeing a dietitian to help evaluate me for any nutrient gaps. Yes, I like to research, but she has a degree in this stuff. It is good to consult experts.

8. I hired a physical therapist (PT) with a speciality in bone health in runners, specifically stress fractures. There are actually two PTs in my area with this expertise, but I went with the one I could afford, and that was closer to me. She did not take insurance, so this is expensive, but is by far the most worthwhile resource on this list!

9. I waited to run. I about broke (down) several times, but I figured if I had hired experts to help me, I needed to stick with the plan. This was really difficult, especially when I felt really terrible in my body. With a lot of support from my husband and the Lord's strength, however, I made it. Now, I am trying to hold myself back and only run what the PT prescribes, so as to keep my stress fracture healed and not break anything else.

10. I started lifting heavier than ever. My PT suggested this to help build my bone density. I even started using barbells. Apparently this is good for my longterm health and longevity, so it is something I plan to continue doing.

--

There are probably some other things I could add to this list, but these are the main ones. Which contributed most to my healing? I don't know. Probably all of it. If I could make one recommendation, however, it would be to train smart and fix nutrient gaps before a stress fracture results. That is a whole lot better than needing advice about how to heal a broken bone!

References:

Ask the Doctors. (2025, July 30).  Study indicates collagen peptides can increase bone density.

UCLA health. https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/study-indicates-collagen-peptides-can-increase-bone-density

Brown, S. E. (2019, December 9). How to speed fracture healing. Better bones. https://betterbones.com/fractures-and-healing/speed-up-fracture-healing/

Dawson-Hughes, B., Harris, S. S., Lichtenstein, A. H., Dolnikowski, G., Palermo, N. J., & Rasmussen, H. (2015). Dietary fat increases vitamin D-3 absorption. Journal of the academy of nutrition and dietetics, 115(2), 225–230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2014.09.014

Karaytug, K., Arzu, U., Ergin, O. N., Bilgili, F., Unverengil, G., Bayram, S., & Sen, C. (2021). Effects of Collagen- and Arginine-Fortified Osteokine Supplementation on Fracture Healing. Cureus, 13(10), e19072. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.19072

König, D., Oesser, S., Scharla, S., Zdzieblik, D., & Gollhofer, A. (2018). Specific Collagen Peptides Improve Bone Mineral Density and Bone Markers in Postmenopausal Women-A Randomized Controlled Study. Nutrients, 10(1), 97. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10010097

Momaya, A. (2025, August 18). Should I take vitamin D as an athelete. Momaya sports medicine. https://www.momayamd.com/blog/should-i-take-vitamin-d-as-an-athlete/?bp=47902 

Nicoll R. (2019). Sickness behavior may follow fracture as well as infection. Brain, behavior, & immunity - health, 1, 100002. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbih.2019.100002

RNWY. (n.d.). RNWY foundation. https://rnwy.life/products/foundation?srsltid=AfmBOoqU6wWmXDD7Gyzy-F1kRCyx8OdoJoBe896SQxm77xyjbYPI6pKM

Sun, C., Yang, A., Teng, F., & Xia, Y. (2025). Efficacy of collagen peptide supplementation on bone and muscle health: a meta-analysis. Frontiers in nutrition, 12, 1646090. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1646090

Tiyasatkulkovit, W., Aksornthong, S., Adulyaritthikul, P., Upanan, P., Wongdee, K., Aeimlapa, R., Teerapornpuntakit, J., Rojviriya, C., Panupinthu, N., & Charoenphandhu, N. (2021). Excessive salt consumption causes systemic calcium mishandling and worsens microarchitecture and strength of long bones in rats. Scientific reports, 11(1), 1850. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-81413-2

Saying Goodbye to My "Running Body"

It's been six weeks, and I haven't run, even a step. My body knows it. My body shows it. While I wasn't on this running journey to alter my body, I was enjoying the changes it affected. I like seeing bigger leg muscles when I squatted. I liked what I thought were my strong calves. I was lifting heavier dumbbells than I ever had in my life. I felt tight and fit and strong, and then I had to stop running.

My ability to exercise at all decreased greatly when I got injured. Thankfully, I could still move a little bit, but even then, it was minuscule compared to what I was doing before. My body hurt. I couldn't squat down. Even sitting caused discomfort. I felt very old and debilitated. 

In addition to my body changing what it could do, it also started changing physically. Energy surplus is needed to heal bone, and in eating to create that, I started gaining (and am still gaining) weight. With lowering my exercise, that weight has not really gone to muscle. It is going to my love handles, and belly, and thighs. For the time being, I have stopped wearing all fitted pants and resorted to wearing drawstring jeans, dresses, stretchy bike shorts, and leggings only. I considered buying new clothes, but decided to forgo that expense until my body decides to settle, and that might be a while, as part of healing the metabolic injury that we believe might have caused my injury is maintaining a continued energy surplus.

As my pain has decreased, I have thankfully been able to be more active, but not in the usual ways. I can lift weights, but only really for arm and core work. I can do pull-ups, but with less reps, as my strength-gains had not kept up with my weight gain. I can do cardio, but only on an uphill treadmill, or via the recumbent bike, a machine at which I am notoriously weak. My body is not capable of what it once was.

Whether it is fat gain, muscle gain, or both, my shirts have also gotten tighter, particularly my tank tops. While I have always wanted to grow my arms and look stronger, this change has also seemed hard. Not only are my pants tight, but my shirts, too? Great. I might just need a whole new wardrobe, tops and bottoms by the time this is done!

I eagerly await the day when I might get cleared to try to run again, but in the meantime, I am grieving my running body. Even if I get to run again in the future, it won't be in the same way. I will have to go more slowly and incorporate more cross training. I will need to spend more time doing strengthening exercises to build my bone, to hopefully keep this type of injury from happening again in the future. If/when I get to return to my sport, it will be with a new body, and then that body will also morph and shift and change. 

While I'd rather not have these body changes*, my choices are to fight them, or to work at accepting them. My old running body is gone, and that has to be okay because though I didn't realize it at the time, the old running body I had wasn't sustainable. So I'm moving forward and saying goodbye. Running or not, there is a new model of this body coming, and I want to be here for it.

--

*Body changes are uncomfortable. Maybe as a smaller sized person, I shouldn't talk about mine, but they are part of life, for everyone, so I think maybe I should. Saying goodbye to our past selves is hard, but it is really the only way forward. And the only way to say goodbye is to grieve what was, and to make room for what is yet to come. 

(No) Medal Monday

Many things have humbled me this year. We'll all this one to the list: my first DNS (did not start). I have been in awe (and somewhat prided myself) at the fact that I have been able to start every race for which I registered. (Well, not the COVID races, but that was outside my control.) I got hungry this year, and I registered for both the Shiprock half marathon and another one at about the same time. I saw no reason why I could not race one and fun run the other. Enter stress fracture and I'm not running at all.

I shed some tears when I cancelled our flights and hotels for this weekend. I could not find anyone to whom to transfer my race bib, but at least the race benefitted a local to the area charity. I have flight credits for the money I spent on our plane tickets. Maybe we will be able to find a new place to go. Maybe not.

The whole things stinks, but it is what it is. At least I am not back to walking outside for a decent amount of time. I found a bone stress injury physical therapist and have started back into the early phases of rehab. (Return to run is still months out.) I have many things for which to be grateful, and I am still grieving.

We planned to spend the weekend starting a gym membership (so my husband has an air-conditioned place for workouts, and so I have access to more machines for rehab). Our dear friends who knew about our cancelled plans, though, drove all the way across the valley on their one free Saturday for the summer to come visit us and cheer me up. We went to the park and watched their son run around and feed the ducks. We went to Henhouse Cafe and ordered Arizona's largest pancakes. We talked about life and dreams and hopes and healing.

Was it the weekend we planned? No, but in terms of eternity, it was probably far better. Our friends continued to show us their true character. I remembered that there are many places to find joy outside of running. We still got to enjoy some good food at at new-to-us restaurant. God is good. All the time. All the time. God is good (even on a no medal Monday).

A Forced Break

One thousand, two hundred and sixty-two days, and my run streak is over. (Well, it's been over for a while at the time of this publishing.) Running was always there for me, until it wasn't. I experienced a banner year last year in running, and felt like I had finally found "my thing." Now, I am no longer a runner. I probably pushed too hard. I knew that some things were not quite right, and I pushed on through anyways. And now here I lay.

That stress fracture I worried about pre- and post-Shiprock? Well, it turns out my differential diagnosis skills are pretty decent. That is exactly what I have: a break in my bones from too much: too much impact, too much intensity, too much pushing through the pain.

I have been through a barrage of tests, from the initial x-rays, to bloodwork, to MRIs, to bone density scans, and more. Though we cannot pinpoint a precise cause for my stress fracture, quite a few things are not quite right. I am getting treatment from a team of professionals, and now I have to wait to see how my body will respond.

My running goals are on hold for now, possibly permanently. Only time will tell if I get back to running at all. If I do, it probably will not be like it was before. I am older. I broke my body. I don't want to break it again.

If I am honest, I probably needed this break. I have a type A personality. Had I not broken my body, I would have kept pushing through. That's me. That's running. I have time, and hopefully now motivation, to attend to my health. This break in my bones is revealing just how tired I was, and forcing me to rest. Time off is helping me explore other ways to move my body (and also forcing me to make peace with a lot less activity). I hope I recover. I hope I come back stronger. Only God knows if that will happen. Whatever may come, may God use it for His glory and my good. 

The Grace Race

Where do I even begin with this one? Shiprock half marathon was my backup birthday race last year. When I chose to do Bay Bridge instead, I decided this would be my birthday race for 2026. Cue a lot of life in between.

I thought this would be an easy race to run post Mesa marathon. I would have the fitness and could just rehab myself and be able to run a half marathon no problem. While I had some pain in my left knee (IT band?), it went away, and I was back training. Pat's Run wasn't a PR, but good enough. I'd been running pretty long, and often with no problems. I was following the six week half marathon plan by Snacking in Sneakers, but it didn't feel like enough (Carroll, 2019). I looked at the final weeks of my Columbus half-marathon plan and thought I could just flip back into that. Maybe I was greedy? Maybe I wanted more miles? I did look at the results from last year's Shiprock half marathon and think I could place if I could back to similar half marathon times as I had run recently. I returned to the Columbus plan with, initially, no problem, but that was probably my first mistake. That plan contained more running and more strides (fast sprints) than the other plan. Initially, I felt fine, but then problems emerged. The week before the race, I felt some twinges of pain running my easy run on Friday (having run easy with some strides the day before). I also felt some tightness in my left hip when my husband and I went for a walk that evening. I did some extra yoga and stretching and figured I would see how I felt before my long run on Saturday. I didn't really even think about axing that long run. That was my second mistake.

I woke up early on Saturday, feeling energized, so decided to go for my run. I fueled well, I thought, and enjoyed my run. I felt a few twangs of pain starting and stopping at crosswalks, but it was only 10 miles with no speed. I'd be fine, I thought. Third mistake. I probably should have cut that run short.
After that run, I stretched and refueled, but I hurt. Throughout that day, I felt more and more sore. By bedtime the pain in my pelvis/groin was pretty bad. I worried I had a stress fracture. I had some of the symptoms, but not all. My husband told me to wait and see, as only time could tell what was wrong.

I took Advil to sleep that night, but slept horribly. I lay awake so long in the night that I got up and got my phone (which I leave charging in the office) to read. I told myself I could NOT research my injury, and instead spent time reading my Bible and completing Spanish lessons in DuoLingo. I eventually got drowsy and went back to sleep, but even at that, I ended up with only about five and a half hours of sleep, which is not enough, especially for recovery from an injury. Sunday night, I took Advil and Tylenol again to sleep, and went to bed early. I vowed not to get up early, but rather to try to sleep and see if I could rehab myself in time for my race.

What followed was a week of trying to see if I could run, find myself in pain, and end up walking. After days of researching, I finally settled on what I thought was my condition: high hamstring tendinopathy (the bruised feeling was what clued me in), and what I read wasn't good (Louw, 2025). It is hard to heal, long lasting, and gets worse with both speed and distance. Great. There went my speed goals, for sure, and maybe the race. I knew it would be grace if I got to run, and grace if I didn't. The Lord had to be Lord of it all, or Lord of none of it all [a loose paraphrase of Hudson Taylor's famous quote (Moore, 2018)]. I wrote in my daily devotional journal on Wednesday:

God could be gracious to me to let me run, even if not race like I’d hoped. Or He could be gracious to let me start and not finish. Or He could be gracious to not allow the pain to dissipate for me to be able to run (or somehow otherwise bar be from running). God, you are always gracious, and have shown that to me time and time again, as well as through thousands of years of biblical history. Let me not forget it!

I did Nourish Move Love's mobility routine daily (Bomgren, 2021). I took my collagen. I bought KT tape (well, off-brand), and tried taping my hamstring, and then my groin. Things seemed to be getting a little better Wednesday, the day by which we would need to cancel our hotel, and we decided to still go on our trip. (Well, my husband heavily recommended that we go, even if I could not run. I was not keen on this idea, but we both did want to get away.) Thursday, though, things felt worse. I ended up carrying a cushion to my off-site workplace in hopes that I could abate the effects of sitting on the hard chairs there. It was a discouraging week.

After all my studies, I found a PDF about high hamstring tendinopathy on Thursday, and decided to try some of the exercises, at least the pain relief ones, after work (Sports Medicine Institute, n.d.). Well, my 20 minute commute from offsite turned into an hour due to highway closure. If I wanted to get sleep, that cut out a lot of my evening. Every day, I wanted to quit my carb load, and this night I was so angry and just wanted to throw in the towel and scrap the carb load and the whole race, but I didn't. I crammed in more carbs, slotted in a few PT exercises, and hoped that I had what I needed packed. Normally, I would have spent the week studying the course, double-checking packing, etc. Not this time.

Packet pickup:

I woke up Friday with lyrics from the song, “He is with us” by Love & the Outcome (2013) running through my head:

"We can trust our God
He knows what He's doing
Though it might hurt now
We won't be ruined"

My pain felt okay, and with some home, we left Mesa about 10:30 AM on Friday morning. (We needed to wait for one load of laundry to finish so that I could have socks and underwear. That I remembered I hadn't packed!) We headed straight for Shiprock, as packet pickup was only until 7 PM. We rolled in about 6 PM (with the time change, we had added an hour), and parked in the very dusty lot to walk over to the packet pickup tent. I was pleasantly surprised to receive not only my bib, but also a Shiprock bag, poster, cup coozie, sticker, sweat towel, disposable cup, and t-shirt. I did panic a little when I saw the disposable cup and heard that the race was cupless, though. I am sure the race registration e-mails told me that, but I had been frantically looking for ways to rehab my injury and had not studied up. Had I really recognized that the race was cupless, I probably would have brought my running pack and fluids. Oh well. I did not have them and I would need to figure out another way to hydrate.

The Night Before:

We stayed at a Marriott Townplace in Farmington, New Mexico, about 45 minutes from the race. It was quite a nice setup, small and compact, but very adequate! I felt especially excited about the refrigerator for all the food I brought, a microwave for the heating pack I had been using to help my pain, and a toaster for my pre-race bagel.

The time flew by as I unloaded and we got set-up. (Thanks, time change.) While laying out my flat runner, I discovered that I brought capris instead of the running shorts I planned to wear. That was no good, as the pants did not have the side pockets I needed for gels. Without my running pack, I had no where else to put them. Thankfully, I had brought a pair of shorts to wear home, and since they had pockets, I was able to sub those in.

When snack time came, I did not feel ready to eat more carbs, but I told myself I would regret it if I skipped my carb-load and bonked the race on that factor. Plus, poor nutrition would only further hurt my injury. While I did not get in the 30 oz of extra fluid that I should have when carb loading, I am proud that I got in the minimum carbs (Featherstun, 2022). I had to count my blessings!

I was in bed by 9 or 9:15 PM and slept okay, though not well. (Please, people, ask your children to be quiet coming into hotel hallways late at night.) I got really, really warm at some point (maybe trying to burn off all those carbs?). I kept waking up, and I know at least once, I read 3:30 AM on my watch.

Race Morning:

I had taken Advil and Tylenol each night until Thursday, and Friday, I took it morning and night. My leg felt the best it had, and I debated about whether or not I should take Advil and Tylenol again race morning. This is documented to NOT be good for you, and carries some big risks. I wanted to finish this race, though, and once again, I didn't want to wonder what would happen if I veered off my routine. So I decided to take it [having read a few stories of success on Reddit—admittedly not the best place for advice, but I was desperate ([deleted], 2024). First, though, the whole PT routine: for my arm/hand and now my leg.

I wasn't the fastest at getting ready, but that was part of why I decided on 4:30 instead of 5:00 AM for my wakeup. I dawdled. I did all the PT. I toasted my bagel. I heated my Cherapy wrap (Cherapy, n.d.). By 5:15 AM, we were downstairs to get coffee (and mix in my RNWY) and get in the car (with my heating pack and toasted bagel in tow).

We drove another 45 minutes back to Shiprock. The moon was beautiful. We got to drive across the old bridge we had seen coming in. At about 5:50 AM, I started in on my bagel and coffee. I also took that Advil and Tylenol. Out of shame, I announced to my husband that I had done so. He told me that was what I had decided to do, and I should stop talking about it.

At about 6:15 AM, we arrived back in the dusty parking lot (seriously, my only complaint about the whole race), and I got out to photograph the sunrise, but then got back in to sit until 6:30 AM. With a low of 43 degrees and wind, it felt very cold outside! At 6:30 AM, I got out and used the bathroom for the first time. Lines were short, probably because there were less than 300 people starting the marathon at 7 AM. I went back and sat in the car until 6:45 AM, at which point I did an 0.7 mile warmup. (This was my birthday race, so at least the last digits could total my new age of 38: 13.1 + 0.7 = 13.8). I felt my hamstring/groin muscle some, but it was bearable, less than a 3 on the 1-10 pain scale. If I could keep things there, I thought the race would be manageable. I did run that warm-up at an 11:00 mile pace, though. I reminded myself that I had changed my goals:

1) Start.
2) Finish.
3) Finish under two hours.

I used the bathroom again at 7 AM, and then 7:10 AM. At 7:15, I lined up.

Race day conditions:

As stated previously, the low was 43. The high was 71. With some winds, the starting temp was closer to the mid-30's. I wore a windbreaker and gloves while waiting. I also stood in the sun, which helped kept me warmer. I planned to ditch the jacket and gloves, but almost didn't, as I lost my husband as I moved to the start line. Thanks to texting, he found me, and I was able to pass them off. While we waited, we heard the drum circles. A lady sang the national anthem in Navajo. The experience was moving.
Not sure how my race would go, and stuffed with carbs, I forewent the 15 minute pre-race gel. I figured I would just go out, fueling at 30 minute increments, and hope for the best. I took with me a 16 ounce water bottle to which I had affixed a squirt cap. (Thanks, Jess Tonn McClain for making this suggestion on some podcast I listened to long ago, and can no longer locate.) The water spilled a little, but the bottle was lightweight, and I figured I could ditch it once I finished it.

Course:

While I had briefly looked at the course when I registered, I had not paid it much attention. I asked my husband to help me figure it out as we sat in the parking lot. What I did not want to do was go the wrong way! He helped me see it was out-and-back, basically up the road a ways, and then back down. Easy enough, or so it seemed. I knew there would be a little bit of elevation change, but it was sneaky.

Miles 1-3:

The Navajo first lady said some words. A lady prayed in English. A man prayed in Navajo. There was a moment of silence for a runner who died in a car accident two days prior (and I was frustrated about my injury). That gave me perspective.

The announcer counted down. I started my watch, and we were off, out the Shiprock Youth Center parking lot and onto the road. I wanted to go out fast, and I did, with a start in the 7:50 range—which is where I would have wanted to be sans injury. That hill crept up on me quick, though. I felt some pain coming on at mile 3 and told myself to try to widen my stride to see if it helped. It did, and I kept going.

Miles 4-6:

The steady uphill continued. I took my first gel, a Hammer vanilla, at exactly 30 minutes, sipped some water, and tried to keep going. While I wanted to enjoy the scenery, I have to admit that I did not do a great job of that. I was very focused on how much my leg hurt, or didn't, and if I could finish. I tried to remember my “why” for running, my Granddad, who had worked as a missionary on the Navajo reservation, and a dear family I wanted to come to know the Lord.

The course veered right at about 6 miles. I told myself I only had 0.2 to go. No, that would be incorrect. I had 0.7 to go. I wondered why I was going so far and thought about turning around, and then reminded myself that I cannot do math in my head, and that this course was USATF certified, so I should run the course as marked.

Several men had passed me by this point, and I thought maybe, maybe, I could still place in the top female group. While I felt a little sad as I counted the women ahead of me, I told myself my goal was to finish.

Miles 7-10:

I took another gel at 60 minutes, this time a Hammer chocolate. I still had water left, and told myself to sip it. By this time, the pain in my left leg/groin had abated some, and my right quad had started to really hurt, like almost marathon hurt. I told myself to hold on and make it to the last gel, a GU birthday cake one, and 5K to go. I was averaging 8:38-8:40/mile here. People passed me. I just had to let it go. I did see who I think was the Navajo first lady here, though. She was dressed in a beautiful skirt and had a police escort on a bike with her. Seeing her made me smile. She had said in her opening words that running was good for community and mental health, and here she was proving that.

Miles 11-13.1:

I just kept going. I hurt, but I wanted to finish. And I had known it would hurt. At least two men passed me as the downhill cascaded. I did see the Philippians 4:13 sign I had seen on the way up, though. I recited that verse as I got to 1-2 miles to go: “I can do all things through, Christ who strengthens me” (New International Version, 2011). I did pass one lady in these final miles, and I tried to encourage her to keep going.

I managed a surge for the last mile or so. [Side note, but I really think GU might be a better gel for me, as the sugar DOES spike my blood sugar, giving me more energy, versus the steady Hammer maltodextrin. See discussion in Episode 130 of Fuel for the Sole (Featherstun, Neuberger, & Murray, 2026)]. I squeezed out a 7:46 for mile 13 and 7:26 for the last 0.1 mile. I am thankful for, and proud of that.

Navajo royalty (maybe their beauty queens?) handed out the medals. I didn't look long at the little girl who gave me my medal, but I glanced back later, and she was still there handing out medals in her native dress. The people of this race really were servants—volunteers working with smiles on their faces, and cheerful and encouraging words all around.

After the Race:

Fortunately, I found my husband pretty quickly after crossing the finish line. (They did announce my name and that I was from Mesa, which was cool.) I immediately wanted water, and a massage. I found a sports drink, then water, and went for the massage. I had to sign a waiver to not sue the volunteers, but why would I do that? While waiting in line, I talked to one of the men who had passed me. He shared that he was training for wildland firefighting. I told him about why that mattered to me (the Granite Mountain 19), and about Kellyn Taylor. He didn't remember the Granite Mountain 19 until I got quite into the story, and didn't know Kellyn Taylor at all. I guess I am a running nerd!

I had two to four women working on me for the 10 minute (free!) massage, and they were so sweet. They gently rubbed my legs and arms with massage oil to promote blood flow. They kindly took off my shoes and massaged my feet and legs with a massage gun. They really did a great job, and I think the gentle promotion of blood flow helped (though I still felt so sore)!

Despite being a cupless event, there were LOTS of tables. I may have gone a little overboard taking one of most everything, but hey, I was going to be hungry (maybe sometime) and wanted to be prepared. I got nuts, and bars, and trail mix and fruit. They also had hamburgers and hot dogs. I really didn't feel like eating, so gave my hamburger to my husband (MVP cheerleader and bag carrier, as usual!).

I heard they had free medal engraving and tried to figure out where to do that. I went to the timing tent and almost skipped the line, but then realized I needed that official time for engraving, so I waited. Fortunately, it really did not take long.

When I got my tiny time sticker, the man said, “You got third in your age group. Make sure you stop by the medal tent.”

“Really?” I thought. “Wow!” My time was 1:53:02, my slowest yet since returning the the half marathon in 2024, but whatever. I didn't care. I gladly received my 3rd place medal, had my husband take more pictures of me with it, and went to the engraving tent.

In front of the engraving tent sat a table with half sheets lying on it. The sheets instructed runners to list what they wanted on three lines of engraving. I thought about it for a while. I wondered about space. Could they engrave my bigger third place medal? I decided on my time, the verse associated with the butterfly I had drawn on my wrist (2 Corinthians 5:17), and who I ran for. The laser engraving was pretty quick, and we were off.

The car was already very dusty, inside and out, from sitting in the parking lot, but I was now massage oil greasy, and dusty. I had my husband help me use the car seat cover we got from the Fresh 15 to protect our seats. (Some niche items really come in handy in a pinch.)

It was forty-five minutes back to the hotel. I'd already had one bottle of water and a protein bar. I forced down an apple and another bottle of water. I didn't feel hungry, but knew I needed to eat. On the way home, I pondered how to share the results of my race with my family. I settled on:

On a wing and a prayer (and far more Advil than I should have taken)...
—
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor 5:17).
—
For Granddad, and for those whom I long to know Jesus and become new creations in Christ.
I teared up thinking about my Granddad and clients. I had done this. I had raced for them. I was SO thankful!

I indeed felt very sore after the race. The right quad pain eased up some, but the left hamstring/groin/tendon pain hurt worse! I knew this was my doing, though. I had chosen to run, and I would pay the price.

Back in the room, I unpacked my snacks. Yes, I got a lot of them, but they would help carry us home. I stretched and foam rolled. I showered. We slid out at 12:10 PM and headed for home.

Final Thoughts:

It's Monday now. I still hurt. (I did stop taking the Advil and Tylenol.) I went to the doctor, and she ordered x-rays. We will see if they show anything. In the meantime, I made an appointment to return to physical therapy next week (the soonest they could get me in). 

Thankfully, I can walk with only a little limp, but I can barely run even a mile (and that in pain). How I managed to run 13.1 miles on Saturday is truly amazing. While I might not should have run this race, since the Lord allowed me to do so, I am going to give Him all thanks, honor, and glory and praise His great grace.

References:

Bomgren, L. (2021, June 23). 10-minute dynamic stretching + mobility workout |SplitStrong 35 Day 9 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlH6pyo1nSI&list=PLpa0d6IJAhbjlpUpLtgGi0k1maJ70hoPS&index=10

Carroll, C. (2019, July 23). 6 week half marathon training schedule. Snacking in sneakers. https://www.snackinginsneakers.com/6-week-half-marathon-training-schedule/

Cherapy. (n.d.). https://www.cherapy.com/

Featherstun, M. (2022). Race nutrition planning guide. Featherstone nutrition. https://www.featherstonenutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Featherstone-Nutrition-Race-Nutrition-Planning-Guide.pdf

Featherstun, M., Neuberger, T., & Murray, M. (2026, April 21). Oral iron strips, UCAN alternatives, runner's colitis and Grand Canyon nutrition (no. 130) [Audio podcast episode]. In Fuel for the sole. https://believeintherun.com/podcasts/fuel-for-the-sole-ep-130-oral-iron-strips-ucan-alternatives-runners-colitis-and-more/

[deleted]. (2024). Has anyone taken ibuprofen or any painkillers during or before a marathon? [Online forum post] Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/Marathon_Training/comments/1fgap3d/has_anyone_taken_ibuprofen_or_any_painkillers/?solution=855a370445d3726b855a370445d3726b&js_challenge=1&token=bbbe4bf1c9a2b5160829c4be34da5861f43b808c48f3cd8cd4f8a66411b97e54&jsc_orig_r=

Louw, M. (2025, August 15). Running with proximal hamstring tendinopathy—Tips to help recovery. Sports injury physio. https://www.sports-injury-physio.com/post/running-with-proximal-hamstring-tendinopathy-tips-to-help-recovery

Love & the Outcome. (2013). He is with us [Song]. On Love & the Outcome. Word entertainment.

Moore, B. (2018, April 3). Christ is either Lord of all, or is not Lord at all. Medium. https://medium.com/@benmooreblog/christ-is-either-lord-of-all-or-is-not-lord-at-all-4ea907cd7737

New International Version. (2011). BibleGateway.com. http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-International-Version-NIV-Bible/

Sports Medicine Institute. (n.d.). High hamstring tendinopathy. https://smiweb.org/wp-content/uploads/HighHamstringTendinopathy.pdf

The Post-Run Spiral

(This art was AI generated through Canva.)

People like to ask me if I experience the "runner's high." [It's debated if the feelings of euphoria some people experience during, or immediately after running are due to the release of endorphins while running or due to the release of endocannabinoids after running, but that is besides the point here (Linden, n.d.).] Yes, sometimes. After a particularly good race, I may feel elated, and perhaps a little euphoric, but that is not every day. Most days, if I feel good after a run, it is in terms of experiencing a short burst of dopamine, and therefore an increase in goal-directed activities (Villarreal, 2021). I come home and I want to clean, or write, or do something. But then, often, the inverse starts to happen. I start to spiral.

What does the spiral look like? I start to lose focus and direction. I diddle-daddle. I find myself speaking aloud to try to motivate myself to stretch, shower, and refuel. The longer I delay, the worse it gets. Sometimes, after I eat, I feel better, but sometimes my energy still crashes and I just want to lay around for the rest of the day (TFoucht, 2020). That is not that great when days consist of responsibilities other than running.

Then there is the anxiety. Sometimes, that anxiety spikes, and abates. Other times, it seems to linger. And sometimes even after I sleep [if I sleep well-sometimes a long run spikes cortisol that keeps me tired, but wired (Rutberg, 2026)], I still wake up feeling depressed and/or stressed, often with a sense of dread and/or foreboding. It is not great.

Apparently these experiences are not abnormal. After completing a long-run, decision-making becomes harder (Motor-Ad6248, 2026). Hunger may or may not be present, so refueling can be a chore. Delayed, or inadequate post-run nutrition leaves the brain depleted of glycogen, which it needs to function (Forzoni, n.d.). Dehydration and low blood sugar can also lead to anxiety (Anonymouse, 2016). And when adrenaline and other exercise induced chemical wear off, there can be that dip in mood (Middleton, 2025). Some people just seem to feel this more acutely than others (Always-Woozy, 2022; CoolHandLuke9000, 2006; The Lorax, 2021). Apparently I am "some people."

So what's a girl who likes running to do? Keep working on the before-, during-, and after-run nutrition and hydration, for one (The PsychPlusTeam, 2024). For two, find other sources of joy and happiness. Three, anticipate that the post-run spiral might happen and do things to anticipate it and its effects [eg preparing food (MotorAd-6248,2026), planning for a lower-energy day), etc.]. I still like running, but it's not always enjoyable or fun. As with marriage, I am about bringing awareness to the full experience of what I do, to the "real life" of it, because I think that is part of what makes the beautiful moments even more worth savoring and celebrating.

References:

Always-Woozy. [Always-Woozy]. (2022). Post long run depression. [Online forum post]. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/running/comments/yj6ua3/post_long_run_depression/

Anonymouse79. [Anonymouse79]. (2016). Dehydration and/or low blood sugar tend to spike my anxiety. You don’t say how far you’re running, but after a [Comment on the online forum post Anxiety after longer runs?] Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/running/comments/94rfk8/anxiety_after_longer_runs/

CoolHandLuke9000. [CoolHandLuke9000]. (2006). Depression after long runs. [Online forum post]. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/running/comments/59258h/depression_after_long_runs/

Forzoni, F. (n.d.). Why you feel drained after long runs & how to fix it. Pretty strong coaching. https://www.prettystrongcoaching.com/blog/post-run-recovery-female-runners.

Linden, D. (n.d.). The truth behind 'runner's high' and other mental benefits of running. John Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-truth-behind-runners-high-and-other-mental-benefits-of-running

The Lorax. (2021, March 28). Does anyone feel depressed after long runs? [Online forum post]. Let's Run. https://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=10504536

Mahan, B. [Host]. (2021, January 30). Exercise as part of the ADHD treatment plan with Gabriel Villarreal, LMHC [Audio podcast episode]. In ADHD essentials. 

Middleton, A. (2025, September 29). Dodgy tummy, nausea and flu-like symptoms-experts explain how you can avoid feeling so rubbish post-run. Stylist. https://www.stylist.co.uk/fitness-health/workouts/nausea-headaches-feeling-rubbish-run/1021748

Motor-Ad6248. [Motor-Ad6248]. (2026). Post-run hunger as a training variable: appetite spikes and decision-making after runs. [Online forum post]. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/running/comments/1qmyhpd/postrun_hunger_as_a_training_variable_appetite/?solution=efd9dfc862c9963cefd9dfc862c9963c&js_challenge=1&token=bbbe4bf1c9a2b5160829c4be34da5861527ca0c6006d84b38db3657b31fa08b3

The PsychPlus Team. (2024, August 30). Why am I depressed after working out? Understanding depression after exercise. PsychPlus. https://psychplus.com/blog/why-am-i-depressed-after-working-out-understanding-depression-after-exercise/

Rutberg, J. (2026, March 4). Why can't I sleep after a hard workout or race? Train right. https://trainright.com/cant-sleep-hard-workout-race/

TFoucht. [TFoucht]. (2020). Post-run crash. [Online forum post]. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/running/comments/j7d2yn/postrun_crash/