Ultramarathons don’t hand out finishes; they make you earn every step of them. You can train perfectly, have your nutrition dialed, your mindset rock-solid, and still find yourself sitting in a chair at mile 70, wondering how it all fell apart. That uncertainty is part of what makes them so addictive.

After almost 5 weeks off from running due to a left ankle injury, I’m finally back to it without any pain or issues so far. While 5 weeks doesn’t sound like very long, time slows down when you’re injured and trying not to hyperfocus on the things that you can’t do, even if only temporarily.

Dealing with an injury that halts you in your tracks and stops you from being able to do things that bring you joy is a lot like dealing with the loss of a relationship or loved one. It forces you into a grieving process, and in my case, the lows felt even lower initially, because the reality of the injury was combined with the natural lows experienced after completing a 100-mile endurance challenge.