The Power of Curiosity (with Rachel Koh) [Encore!]

The idea for this episode actually came to me last summer when I started exploring running again.

Some listeners may know that I used to identify as a runner.

After saying I could never run for the first three decades of my life, I started couch to 5K in my mid-30s, eventually trained up to run half marathons, And there were times when running was my solace.

It was meditative.

I did not listen to music or podcasts.

Instead, I focused on a 30 count breathing ritual and body scan technique.

There was a stretch where even long runs, I'm talking like eight miles plus, felt joyful and wonderful.

And there was ease about it.

And then about six years ago, it feels like a lot longer than that, actually, I gave up running because it started to feel consistently terrible.

Everything hurt.

It was

not working for me.

So I stopped doing it.

A few years ago, I tried several times to restart running and it continued to feel terrible.

So again, my narrative became that I could never run again.

And then this past June, after experiencing some bad inflammation and sluggishness issues, I decided to give Couch to 5K another try.

The goal was to shake the sluggish energy loose.

And I also realized that, hello, my body is not the same body it was a few years ago.

I've done a lot of yoga.

I've done physical therapy.

Why not be curious and try? For the majority of the program, up until about two or so miles in distance, it was pretty amazing.

It felt great.

I realized I could run and I loved the quick sweat factor and it helped tremendously with my inflammation and energy levels.

And then it got terrible once I hit three miles and I pulled something in my hamstring or IT band that nagged me for months.

And so I gave myself permission to stop.