I never expected to break up with running completely, but somehow I did. After four years of consistently running 20-30-mile weeks and competing in Spartan obstacle-course races, life took an unexpected turn, and my ambition to run and compete followed suit. In a three-month span, I mourned the loss of a loved one, cared for a sick parent, and coped with the loss of a pregnancy. I kept putting running on the back burner until I let it go completely. It no longer felt like the escape and confidence builder it once was—it felt like a chore, which made me want to avoid it. I remember asking myself why running didn’t love me back anymore. I was frustrated that when I felt like I needed it the most, it was something I just couldn’t manage.

Taking a nearly clean break made starting over feel impossible.…