NATASHA WEINSTEIN
Going into the pandemic I was coming off of major abdominal surgery, hoping to run my first full marathon in the fall, yet unsure of what my running prospects would look like for the next 12 months…and then the pandemic hit. Given my delicate health, I was immediately put into extreme isolation, virtually zooming with my custom physical therapist and only leaving the house when absolutely necessary.
As the pandemic progressed, my running improved with it. I gained strength – emotionally and physically. I learned that years-old injuries would not prevent me from accomplishing my goals. I improved on my flexibility and introduced new mobility exercises that would help sustain my klutz-prone, adventure-addicted lifestyle. No longer was I the chronically ill runner, but I was just the runner, who worked from home and had a new world of possibilities – including potentially running a mile without stopping to walk. All thanks to Custom.
Fast forward one year, more healed injuries, my first full marathon and ultra-marathon this is what I would tell my 2020 self:
“You will go through a lot in the first few months of lockdown. You will feel defeated, it will be hard. You will also discover a strength you never imagined. You will grow into a person you never thought was possible. Someone who is independent, proud of accomplishments big and small, someone who can truly say is happy. This pandemic, a world full of uncertainty, will bring you joy and self-certainty, and I promise that is worth every second of growth you are about to experience. Oh, and continue taking those moments to smell the roses, it’s worth it.”