Grounded by the Run- Navigating Life's Storms with Resilience

Running has been my sanctuary during the heaviest of times, but what happens when the weight of the world makes lacing up feel almost impossible? Journey with me on the Dogs Per Mile podcast as I explore how running can be a powerful tool for understanding and processing emotions rather than merely escaping them. This episode reveals my personal struggle with maintaining motivation and purpose amidst societal and political challenges. You'll learn how running can transform into not just a physical activity but a mental balm that helps us become stronger advocates for causes we care about.

Join me as I tackle the complex emotions tied to finding joy in running, like grappling with feelings of guilt when the world feels so demanding. Discover playful approaches to rediscover joy on the trail, such as the "dogs per mile" mindset and the dedication mile practice. These techniques help transform your run into a purposeful journey. I also introduce a balance sheet method to help you align personal benefits with actionable community support. This episode celebrates running as a judgment-free zone and emphasizes inclusivity, featuring community runs with groups like Vine Street Brewing and supporting minority-owned local businesses like City Gym and Ruby Jeans Juicery.

Vine Street Brewery
City Gym
Ruby Jean's Juicery 

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Transcript

Finding Purpose Through Running Amidst Challenge

Bridget 0:08

Hey runners , welcome to the Dogs Per Mile podcast , your weekly dose of running reality . Here we count dogs instead of minutes and turn running stats upside down . I'm Bridget , your host , certified running coach and creator of the Dogs per mile mindset . Here's the thing 13 years ago , I started my running journey , like many of you , watching the stats on my garment and getting discouraged when they didn't match what they should be saying . That's when I discovered the magic of counting dogs in my run , because sometimes the best running stat isn't your pace or distance . Now , with over 50 half marathons , two marathons and countless training runs under my belt , I'm here to share a different approach to running , one that breaks down mental barriers , eases those pre-run anxieties and yes , includes a weekly update of my personal dogs per mile count . Whether you're lacing up for the first time , getting back into running after a break , struggling your training with group fitness classes or chasing your next PR , you've found your people . This is where we take the pressure off and put the joy back in running , because every runner has a place here and every dog site is worth celebrating .

Bridget 1:27

Hey all , welcome back to the Dogs Per Mile podcast . I'm your host , bridget , and today we're going to talk about something a little bit different , but I definitely think that is very important and also just very applicable to running journeys in general . So I want to kind of talk about how to find your motivation or how to run during really heavy and tough times , so kind of finding your running purpose . When just everything in the world feels off and this has been spurred from the most recent election Just a lot of heavy feelings have been weighing in me and people I care about and people I love , and I really have struggled finding the purpose and the point of running when this happens , because this happened last in 2016 , and I had the same feelings of running is pointless , running is useless , it's frivolous , it's silly to talk about it , post about it , because there's so much other important shit going on than my little , my little run . Um . So running has always been a place of like sanctuary for me , but it's also really a struggle when it doesn't feel that it's that important or it's no longer a need in the world and kind of .

Bridget 2:44

Before we dive in , I definitely want to make sure y'all are clear about things that I stand for Pro-LGBTQ , pro-women , pro-unions . I am very much in that realm , so that's just where I come from , things I believe in , things that weigh on my heart and people I care about , and I do want to also acknowledge that I'm super privileged to be able to process these feelings through running that I am both physically able to mentally able to . I have the time , I have the space , I have the support . Not everyone has that and this episode may have some heavy or tough topics to hear or think about . But I'm hoping that I can balance the heavy , upsetting , scary nature of some things with a little bit of sense of hope or at least some actual things that you can take away from this .

Bridget 3:42

And I really want to make sure that we're framing running throughout this as a way to process emotions and not escape from them . We want to make sure we're kind of trying to phase away from feeling guilty about doing things that we enjoy and kind of make them into more purposeful , more productive movements and then also just how physical activity can help your mental processing , your mental being and everything go from there . So first let's get started .

Speaker 2 4:18

Just finished my run . Started it stressed and what was stressing me didn't disappear because I crossed the starting line and made it to a finish line . It's still there , but I'm better because of the run , which means I can take on what's stressing me better . We don't run to make the stress disappear . We make the run to make the stress disappear . We make the run happen . So when we come back from it we are better able to deal with that stress . So recommendation go for a run tomorrow .

Bridget 4:56

I kind of want to first start based on the clip I just shared with you , which was Coach Bennett , who's a Nike coach clip I just shared with you , which was Coach Bennett , who's a Nike coach , and it was the words that kind of stuck with me on why this is so challenging for my brain to express this , which is starting a run , finishing a run is not going to make everything disappear , but what it does mean is you will be stronger because of it . So kind of exploring why even running right now . I know , the day after I looked at my running shoes and could not have thought of something I wanted to do less . It just seemed . Why would I take my run with my happy little poppy music and be all excited and then post my picture of me either smiling or my shoes or anything like that ? And yeah , you don't have to post it , but it's kind of what I enjoy doing , it's what makes me happy with running and it just really was hard , because I'm just looking at all the things that are super important in the world right now and it feels selfish and silly to listen to another and it feels selfish and silly to listen to another white girl talk about running and this , that and the other thing . So really I got in my own head . I kept thinking that nobody's going to want to hear about it . And then I just saw a couple of runners still doing the thing that they love and not letting something take away something that they love to do , while still acknowledging that there are things going on , and that made me realize that there's a space between the two . I can still enjoy running , I can still like everything about it , but it doesn't have to feel as big and insensitive as I thought it would be . So I just decided I would just find a way to keep running so that way I would have the ability to handle the stresses better . So if I can make myself a better person or a stronger person through the running that brings me that , then I'm able to advocate or help the people that really , really need this .

Bridget 7:12

So another feeling that may come up during these times is feeling that finding joy in anything is insensitive to others , and it's this mindset that I know I'm also guilty of . Is , if people are upset or people are sad , then it's insensitive to find any sort of joy , because by doing so you're invalidating their story , their struggle , their challenges , and I want to remind you that that's not true . You're not invalidating their feelings , you're not hurting other people . I really would just if so , if I was to give you guidance on if you're struggling . Is I'm feeling insensitive by taking this time out of my day to go for this run , do this exercise class , take this walk , when I could be doing so much more ? Just want you to think that will you be in your best state of mind , your best ability , your best power to do that ? So definitely , you can also just do things in a vacuum because they're for you , posting I did this many miles and this , that and everything , versus going into that toxic positivity which is just everything is wonderful , it'll get through this , it'll be okay , everything's fine . Just constantly kind of saying that sort of stuff .

Bridget 8:38

So that would be like saying just get out for the run , it'll make you feel better , Everything will feel clearer after that . And no , you may go for the run , get out the door , do your whole distance , come back and still feel like shit , and that's okay . You don't have to expect the run to actually fix anything . So don't feel that you have to feel good after the run . Don't put that much pressure on the run that it's going to make you feel better , because running is just a tool . It's a way to process . It could be grounding and it may just be a way to burn off the energy and burn off the anger .

Bridget 9:13

So some reasons why running as a tool is really helpful is it gives you a sense of routine and practice . So when your body is shaken to its core and nothing seems right , creating a sense of routine really helps our brains feel a sense of calm . It's exactly why , if you have a nighttime routine and you start doing the same things at night at a certain time , one after another , eventually , after a few days or weeks , once you start doing step three , you're going to start to feel tired because your body is going to feel calm and comfortable . So if running has always been part of your routine , taking it out is just going to make you feel more unsettled , um and so really trying not to disrupt your routine , uh , is a really big tip to try to keep you feeling grounded on this earth and in yourself , and also staying grounded during your runs is really , really important . So some of the things that I do is I'll start counting my breaths during a mile or um . I will kind of look at different trees and say , okay , I'm going to get to that tree . And one of the easy thing you could do is the run type called a fartlek run . It's very funny , very silly , but it's basically just speed play . So you could say I'm going to run till I see that to that mailbox and then I'll walk and I'll run to this . So it feels random and you really just want to try to feel in your body during the runs , versus so much so in your head . So it's really making sure that you're not too much just out of your body , because that'll help you feel a sense of calm .

Bridget 10:59

And then you want to make sure you may need to . If you're in a training plan , you may have to structure your runs to be slower , more relaxed , more easy pace . Maybe change the route versus having them being super structured , because my Garmin will tell me okay . Today it said run one hour and keep your heart rate in this low zone . My heart rate hasn't been able to stay in the low zone . It's chilling in the 150s because it's angry . And that's just what I was able to do and I just have to be okay with that and let my runs go that way .

Bridget 11:32

So you want to make sure you're feeling the sense of breathing . If you're running outside , taking the note of the breeze , the wind , the sun can really just help you feel like you're on the earth . Because I know for me , I get this feeling of this doesn't feel real , I feel like I'm in a movie and I feel like I'm not connected to anything , and so by going for a run , I can feel like I am actually a human again and that makes a big , big deal to me . And then running can also be a sense of community . You can connect with others If you are part of a run club , if you've been thinking about joining a run club , this might be a really good time . So that way you have people to bounce off of , just chat and feel a sense of accomplishment together and a sense of supporting others with a common goal of finishing something hard or something challenging or something easy even and there's definitely a difference between using running to process things healthy , and then there's also a way that you could be running that is avoiding things , and so really , if you start to see that you're , it's almost the same as overtraining for a race , but when you're only going for runs or you're not , you are absolutely cranky without it . You really want to make sure that you're still talking about your feelings . You're not just only doing that as your sense of therapy , because exercise will never replace true therapy . It is a great addition , but if you're not able to actually speak about your feelings to others , then you're not helping yourself .

Bridget 13:19

And all of these are things that I have gone through , things that have happened to me , running through different tough times . And that's what I also want to mention is this doesn't have to be necessarily related to an election or anything like that . It can just be related to tough shit that happens in your life and shakes everything about who you are and what you do . I know over the last few years I've had several traumatic layoffs and losing a sense of self , losing a sense of security with income and feeling worthless and feeling powerless and feeling rejection . So those are a lot of really hard things to grapple with at the same time , even if you know in your brain that you're not stupid , you're not dumb . But that happened to you and running in those times created a sense of routine for me and for those times I was struggling because before I'd have to get up at a certain time so I could start work at a certain time , and when you are only applying and interviewing , you can run whenever and then you end up not doing anything at all . So it created a sense of , ok , I need to do this run or I need to go to this group fitness class where I'll see these people and having that sense of connection and accountability , and so when times are tough , a group that is expecting or depending on you to show up can really help to create it into a more consistent routine and really just those are the things that will get you through those tough times a lot easier is having that sense of support and that sense of connection .

Finding Joy and Purpose Through Running

Bridget 15:10

Another , another feeling that definitely creeps up when it comes to trying to run , when the world seems like it's pointless and it's silly and is guilt and uh , I know it's something I I struggle with a lot is feeling guilty , and this can happen even from the simplest things there can be nothing serious going on and feeling guilty for taking time when you could be with your kids or your spouse or doing work or this , that and the other thing . So really it's okay , especially in times like this , to find small amounts of joy when it's hard . So this goes back to everyone's favorite mostly my favorite the dogs per mile mindset , which again is just counting how many dogs on your runs and figuring out how many dogs you saw per mile , and it is just a silly tool that I've created that makes a run fun even if the world is bad or the run isn't good , and it really allows me to bring smile even as I'm holding space in myself for just really complex emotions . So there's some other ways that you can bring mindfulness on your run . I have two examples . So one thing you can do is you can call it a dedication mile or a dedication run .

Bridget 16:37

You can think about one person or one cause that you're really passionate about , something that is either upsetting or that you want to make a change in . Think of during that run . Think about different people from that community in your life . Think about them as people , what you'd want to do to help or support , and then , once you've finished your run , think of one small action that you can take . So it could be just sending that person a supportive message . It could be making a donation , it could be volunteering . So that way , in a way , you're turning your quote , unquote , selfish run into an act that is supportive and is involved planning . So then you feel like it's a little productive and it's less just about me . So I spent it helping somebody else .

Bridget 17:23

Another one if you're really trying to get over the guilt about taking the time for the run , really kind of think of a balance sheet . So think of a piece of paper , put it in two columns . In the first column you're going to write down what you'll gain from this run . So during this run I'm going to get a little bit stronger , I'm going to be able to process these feelings , I'm going to get some mental clarity . And then the second column it's going to be what actions are you going to take after that run to support others ? What actions are you going to take after that run to support others ? So maybe it's now that I have gotten this run out , now I have the energy to attend a pro's test or I am able to call my local representatives or just better abilities to support a friend who is really having a challenging time . So this allows you to take care of yourself but also shows that you're able to show up better for others by helping .

Bridget 18:17

And obviously running is a safe space for yourself to be angry , to be sad , to be hopeful , without anyone judging you . So I definitely I've cried on runs before . I've been angry , I've been sad . It really just is a way that no one's going to judge you for having feelings during a run or trying to process them . Really just a great way to just release your emotions . Either your intervals are angry or you're going for a group run . That's just the ability to be together and really creating that space for running . That's when I started to move into wanting to turn my running into action and I am now running with rage and wanting to make change .

Bridget 19:06

So there's a lot of different ways you can run with a purpose . There's fundraisers . You can do awareness campaigns . Look for running groups . So I know in Kansas City we have a Black-owned brewery that does a lot of run nights with their brewery , and the brewery in Kansas City that does the run groups if you're looking for another business support is Vine Street Brewing , over in the Jazz District in Kansas City , so you would run around the city and then you come back and have a beer . So those are really great ways to be connected to the community , supporting your area but also still meeting other people . And you can use your platform , if you have a large one , to talk about change and then kind of share your stories and just really be an open book . And then there's also things that seem like they're super small and they're really nothing , but they're actually making a really big difference is , you know , creating inclusive running groups , for example . So in my running group that I have in KC , I definitely make it an important factor to say if people need to walk , and I will absolutely do what I can to be aware of people's breathing , to be aware of the body language , because I want people to feel like they're able to run there and that they're safe and they're welcome and they're cared about , and so kind of figuring out what people want to get from that .

Bridget 20:38

Make sure that when you are in a running group you're talking to people and you're welcoming them regardless , and then making sure , if you can , money talks . That's the big thing that I'm trying to remind myself is using my money the way that I can to support any minority-owned businesses , whether or not they're fitness-related or not . Some examples that I have is my gym in Kansas City City Gym is a really great example . It's very LGBTQ supportive and it's just a really great example of a good community that's built around care . And there's some brands . There's PopFlex Active , which is owned by Cassie Ho , who's a daughter of Vietnamese immigrants . So putting money into that sort of things , or coffee shops that are small , or coffee shops that are small , and another fantastic business in the Kansas City area if you're looking to support is Ruby Jeans Juicery , where they have a bunch of locations I'm a big fan of the one over on Troost and it's just another way to give back to the communities that give so much and just really putting your money back into the community and also using your social media to the best of your ability .

Bridget 21:57

If you want to talk about something that's important , then talk about it . If you want to post your runs , post your runs . Just provide resources so people can get involved . I always welcome that Running can be a bit of an escape , but it shouldn't be escaping your entire world . So running doesn't have to be like you're running away from your problems , running away from everything that's challenging . It can be a way to be present , be mindful and practice self-care to yourself and practice self-care to yourself . I want you to know that any feelings you're feeling are valid happy , sad , angry , mad , confused and this can be a really safe way just to kind of go through them and really feel them in a place that you're not in danger . You can feel a sense of accomplishment . So I really want you to think about how you can share your own stories as either a motivation , as a way to support , or just tell me about why you are able to keep going and what your story is . I really want to thank you for listening to this , processing all of this with me . I really hope that you take away just some tips on how to be more mindful , feel less guilty and know that you're allowed to find joy even when the world is challenging . Thank you again and I will check you all in the next one . Thanks for sharing another mile with me today .

Bridget 23:44

Before you cool down , here are three quick ways to stay connected with our running community . First , hit subscribe wherever you're listening to this right now . It's the best way to make sure you never miss an episode . Second , if today's show helped you or inspired you , please leave a review . Your words help other runners find their way to our community . Lastly , want more running adventures ? Follow at Dogs Per Mile Pod on Instagram , where I share daily motivation , behind the scenes moments and plenty of pictures of my two running coaches , yogi and Maple . Behind the scene moments and plenty of pictures of my two running coaches , yogi and maple . Be sure to tag me in your run photos and use hashtag dogs per mile to share your own dog spotting stats . I love celebrating your victories , big and small , and thank you for being a part of this journey . Until our next run together , remember , every step forward is progress and every dog you see is bonus motivation . Keep running , smiling and keep counting those dogs .