End of an era–and the beginning of some big transitions!

The last week in April and first week in May were a blur for me. Within a week, I finished the manuscript for The 27th Mile: How to (Gracefully) Transition out of Your Running Years; turned 53 years old; and celebrated the college graduation of Amelia, my daughter who was a mere four years old when Sarah and I ran the Nike Women’s Marathon and started this whole mother runner shebang.

Talk about transitions. I now am the mother of a true adult child. I can’t imagine our relationship will change very much; after all, I am the daughter who gave my mom a magnet that reads The first forty years of parenting are the hardest. Meanwhile, Amelia is officially off the structured schedule of a collegiate athlete. That will be a more challenging transition, I imagine, but Amelia, an elementary education major, will soon be back to a daily routine that will be both physically and mentally exhausting; she will be teaching a fourth/fifth grade combo class in August.

Most transitions aren’t as crisp and well-defined as those two; often, they’re murky, like a gray, cloudy sky. You know you’re in the thick of something changing, but you’re not sure how to move forward, let alone how to part the clouds.

Often, the most accessible ideas come from people who have recently found a slice of sunlight.

With that in mind, today I’m sharing a crowd-sourced excerpt from The 27th Mile: I asked the athletes I interviewed—over fifty female runners who range from significantly cutting back on their usual mileage to haven’t run in years—what’s the best thing you did for yourself as you phased out of running?

[If you want other potential excerpts, here’s Jen Backs Out of the Marine Corps Marathon, My Running Obituary, What I Miss About Running, and Hold It Lightly: A Spring Bike Ride.]

“I stayed open to other forms of exercise, like weightlifting, rowing, and the exercise bike. I made sure those opportunities were easily accessible. While it was hard to do, I tried to remind myself that I was doing the exercise that my body, at this moment, could do.” —Mariah

“It was really tempting to jump headfirst into competition in another sport to fill the gap left by running and racing. Instead, I kept things low-key. I swam, I biked, I hiked, I kept doing taekwondo. My only goal was to have fun and not turn myself inside out. I really needed that break.” —Amy

“I worked to let go of my expectations around my identity, my body, my progress (or lack thereof), and my journey. It was so hard, but reminding myself each day—and sometimes repeatedly during the day—to hold things loosely slowly worked to relax my expectations.” —Ellen

“I kept running a few races each year. It still feels ecstatic to cross a finish line even if/when I’m walking, jogging, or wobbling. The endorphins are still there, the cheers are still there, the bling is still there, and most importantly, I am still there.” —Joanne

“I started strength training because I knew lifting weights was going to be important to succeed at any activity I decided to try next.” —Pamela

“I talked to a counselor about it.” —Heather

“I tried hard to have patience and grace with myself. I had been a runner for more than thirty years and knew it would take time to find something to fill that void.” —Sarah

“I am still in the transition process. I’m a total planner by nature, so I’ve been thinking about what activities will provide me with the joy running has for so many years.” —Donna

“I kept waking up and going outside on my same schedule, even if I’m only walking briskly. Doing so allows me to keep the shape of my days and not feel quite so adrift.” —Jeanne

“I had to stop going to coffee with my running girlfriends after their Saturday run. That untethered me from a years-long Saturday morning ritual. The vacuum it left was a big motivator for me to find my next thing.” —Kim

If you’re also in this transition, what’s the best thing you did for yourself as you phased out of running?