Waterfalls

Rocky. Wet. Gritty. Flying past waterfalls with wet air flying all around you.

There were some fast girls out there.

And instead of shrinking, I sharpened.

I ran strong and hard. I get to do this. I get to be strong.

And when it felt like I was running out of steam, when it got that burny, you could back off right now feeling, I told myself: “Ten years of this MS BS. And that accident. And I’m still not broken. So, I know this running hard thing isn’t going to break me either.”

And my cadence picked up.

I finished.

All the skin on my hands and knees is intact.

No trips. No falls. No scrapes. No bruises.

That’s a win — it only took me 10 years to learn how to run with MS.

This is the steady new mantra I’ve been carrying lately on the trails:

Justine, you are responsible for the outcome here. Pay attention. Take responsibility for yourself.

And it encourages attunement to what my body is doing on the trails.

And I did. And I finished strong and joyful.