Just a Few Words Per Mile

In 2024, my New Year’s resolution was simple: write a short journal entry every time I went for a run. I ran 37 days in a row, logged 143 runs, and covered over 350 miles. More than the mileage, though, I created a record of my year. One run at a time.

This year, I didn’t keep the log. I ran significantly less, and now I have no way to look back and trace where I was, physically or emotionally. The other day, I found my old logbook tucked away in a drawer, and I remembered how fun it was. Flipping through the pages, I saw so many different kinds of runs: runs with friends, runs that hurt, runs I was proud of. Some entries were thoughtful; others were just a few honest words like “bad day” or something silly, like “had to pee at mile three.”

In 2026, I’m looking forward to starting another run journal. Maybe I’ll even start tomorrow.

my run journal from the ARC locker room