I have been a runner for a very long time. So long, unfortunately, that it took a great toll on my body; I've been dealing with various injuries since 2022. But, as our Regional Director Gavin Wisdom so wisely says, "just keep stacking bricks," so I laced up my sneakers and hit the road after our workday.

It was a gorgeous afternoon, crisp and clear, and I was happy to have some time to myself. My runs always help me separate my work life and personal life while on hitch. It's how I take care of myself out there.

The first thing I noticed about this run was what wasn't there; specifically, pain. Typically, something always hurts in my legs, whether it's my hamstrings or my shins or my lungs. But today, I was flying. For the first time in a long time, I felt free of the inhibitions that had been present in my body for a solid two years. I felt like myself again.

It's worthwhile to note here that I've done a lot of work to get to this place. PT, strength training, and a total overhaul of my nutrition and training plan. It's not like going on a hitch will suddenly cure you of all ailments. In fact, it might even add a few, in some unfortunate cases.

But I do think that being on hitch eliminates all distractions. You can only concentrate on so many things in a day, and it ends up narrowing down what's really important to you. For me, that was recovery, and it was running, and it was finding that path back to myself again. I found the focus that I needed to concentrate on healing my body again, and it's not something I'll soon forget.