I’ve quoted her so many times before on here, but Dorothy Beal of Mile Posts isn’t wrong when she notes that when she doesn’t run, she doesn’t want to run but when she is running, she can’t stop wanting to run. The runner’s high is extremely real and potent.

This past week I got 15 miles done – four and then three on Tuesday, four Wednesday morning before going into work, and four yesterday at lunch. I also committed to upper body resistance training on Monday-Wednesday-Friday and stuck with it, which was a little bit of a challenge since my brain tends to prioritize one over the other. Synchrony is not and never has been a strong point for me, so I’m either running and forgetting about lifting – and then wondering why my arms aren’t as defined as I’d like – or lifting everything, not running and wondering why I look like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.

I even hit up leg night on Thursday. I’m not going to brag on this and try to convince you all I’m Wonder Woman. Frankly, I’ve got muscle aches in locations I forgot muscles existed, sitting down on my toilet has been way more agonizing than it should be, and my lower back has spent the entire day reminding me I am in fact an idiot. My side mission to be double-cheeked up by bikini season might be the death of me. Doesn’t mean I’m going to stop doing leg day though. It just means I’m not the brightest thing on two (very taut and muscular) legs.

But enough about my muscular physique. It’s March, one of my three favorite months alongside June and October. Winter starts to fade into spring. The daffodils around my apartment complex start to bloom, and the little mallard ducks decide to come out and frolic in the pond out back. The world starts to turn green and come alive again.

About now I thought I’d be feeling the pressure of trying to meet weekly mileage goals, where the stress of trying to do it all would start to eat at me and I’d find myself wondering if any of this is even a good idea. Granted, I am feeling some stress with planning the transportation to my first spring half, but the excitement of seeing a new state is trumping the frustration of figuring out car rentals. My first local race is coming up on April 2nd, and from there I can determine how I’ll likely be doing for my three spring half marathons. I’ve got two local races I’m doing in April with my mom, and then a busy traveling month of May. So March is my buckle-down month and I’m channeling the restless energy into training gains.

The other day I realized this was the first March since 2020 – the year that shall not be named – where I felt the transformation within me. I’m feeling lively, spry and restless. I want to run all of the miles all of the time, either on the treadmill or on the little path around the largest retention pond. I’m feeling lighter, freer and more abundant. I’m also feeling like there’s so much to see and do as the world is coming back to life. I want to run and walk amongst that energy and beauty.

In a word, I’m feeling alive and restless coming into March. There’s a world around me to move along with, and I’m cannonballing my way into the deep end.

So Reader-friends, I hope the arrival of March and springtime gives you life. I hope you’re able to feel a burst of energy, and I hope the transition period is good to you. Or if nothing else, I hope the leg day commentary gave you a chuckle. A couple chuckles never hurt anyone.

Yours in running, writing and life,

Allison