I dragged my broken parts and my disappointments out of bed this morning and packed them up to carry with me on this 20 mile training run.

I found my groove early on and my pace was comfortable and consistent without too much monitoring.

The miles flew beneath my feet like magic. Up and down the forgotten hills of this old route, I gradually let go of my unwanted baggage and focused on the very good feeling of this run.

Very, very good.

Everywhere I looked, I saw a yellow house, which brightened my soul and felt like a wink from the Universe. I thought about three strong women who were running Chicago today, and I passed some of the time cheering them on with my heart and hoping they felt it across the miles.

This was the best 20-mile training run I’ve ever had. No rests, no walking (finally!) Just steady forward progress and a giant peacefulness that descended on my soul.

My recovery has been surprisingly easy, and I can’t wait to do it again!