A little long but worth the read. Sanity Miles September is as much for my community as it is for me. I needed this. I thought it was going to be a sharp pain that might go away but it’s more like a sharp pain turned to dull longing that never goes away. The feeling of missing someone you can no longer connect with can be heavy and some days are harder than others. I may look like I keep it together but honestly sometimes I really don’t. As I think about what makes marathon season a little different this year, I think about running for us, not just for me. There were times this training cycle I truly felt like I couldn’t do it anymore. I got tired of making sacrifices to show up for my training but coming back to my why and how much running has positively impacted my mental health kept me going. Most of you know by now but mental health is really important to me and I am so invested in how this impacts Black women but also Black men. I struggled with how I wanted to tell this story and the truth is that I’m still not ready, so I’m honoring that. Instead of fundraising in the traditional sense this year, I’m going to donate for every mile I race this year & every person who joined the sanity miles challenge to @theconfessprojectofamerica. They’re doing increíble work to support Black men and I truly believe in it. Comment a positive affirmation or mantra that has kept you going through tough times and I’ll donate for each one. If you’re going through a rough time or grieving as well, you are not alone. ❤️