You probably guessed, but I’m doing it! Chicago Marathon 2024 is officially in my future. I’m running for Cal’s Angels again, and I’m really proud and excited to be fundraising for this organization for the second time. If you want to donate to my marathon account, click here and THANK YOU!

I went back and forth about it. I wanted to go in for round two from the start, but a few things held me back at first. I think I mentioned a few posts back, but during the last round of training, I was just barely staying ahead of two separate injuries starting from about the 4th week of the 18 week training plan. I had plantar fasciitis the whole time and am just now healing from it, and then I had hip pain caused by who knows what but probably started as a glute muscle imbalance. I was worried the entire time that I wouldn’t be able to run the race, or maybe I was anxious I would give myself an excuse to quit when things were getting really tough.

Quick aside: at my middle school back in the day, 6th graders were not yet eligible to participate in school sports, with the exception of cross country. Soccer and track didn’t start until 7th grade. A bunch of my friends were doing cross country, or maybe my parents thought it would be a good idea for me to try it, or whatever it was, I was on the cross country team in 6th grade. I did not enjoy it. Running was, in my opinion as an eleven year old, hard, boring and dumb. During one race, I tripped and fell down, maybe legitimately that time. A kind and well-intentioned volunteer decided I should stop running the race and go find my mom. From then on, I think I fell down in every race, more or less on purpose. Sixth grade me was a bit of a weenie. I didn’t feel great about it, but I also really hated cross country. Every time I’ve had to stop running mid-run due to injury, I have a flashback to my injuring-faking days and have to check myself.

Anyway, I didn’t want to give myself an excuse to quit in the run-up to Chicago 2023. This time, I don’t want to be dealing with injuries at all. It added so much unnecessary anxiety. I’m going to be spending my time between now and when the new training program starts in June trying to strengthen weak muscle groups.

Has my whole athletic life been to make up for the mistakes I made in 6th grade? No, absolutely not, but I do still feel the heat of shame on my cheeks when I think about that fall. And while I can’t reverse the past, I can use my running for a good cause and net positive for the world. Cal’s Angels has helped our family directly and does so much to give hope to kids with cancer in our part of Illinois by granting wishes and funding research. I’m thankful for the chance to give back yet again.