Running has taught me a lot. A lot about resilience, the human capacity to endure, to be disciplined. How to be fast. But in the last year, what it’s really taught me is how essential it is to slow down. 

A year ago, I had my first race blow up. I came out way too hot in the St. Petersburg Marathon and literally cooked at the end. Nearly getting heat stroke, I walk-ran miles 22-24, then jogged out the last two miles, incapable of running in a straight line. The med tent forced me to sit down (and stop blabbering) once they saw me come across the finish, being stubborn and senseless. Despite coming in just a couple minutes over my goal time and taking first for my age group, I didn’t see the performance as a victory, but as a cry for a hard reset.  read more