By now I am sure you have seen about Olympic gold medalist, Alysa Liu.

There are so many ways to be inspired and motivated by her journey. Alysa and her four siblings all being born through surrogacy to a single dad. Her dad, Arthur, came to the US as a refugee due to his involvement in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.

There is her absolute, unabashed freedom to be herself out on the ice. How refreshing it was to see someone with hair that did not involve an entire can of hairspray to pin down every strand (yes! love the environmental element of that).

I loved when she finished that gold-medal skate with pure joy on her face; she seemed more happy after the skate itself than she did when she saw she won gold. That was the win for her, not the medal. It was also amazing to see that same expression on the face of bronze medalist Ami Nakai.

Then there are the interviews post-Olympics, where Alysa has spoken about listening to her body on what she eats, how she trains, when she rests, and what she dances to.

I love it. All of it.

For me there is a deep personal resonance, and those of you who have known my story for a long time know where this is going.

Alysa quit skating in 2022, ready to move on with her life and leave it behind as something she was so proud of, but had no interest in going back to at that level of intensity.

My realization and growth took a little longer, but here's what happened:

Let's go back to April 26, 2017.

Three days after I was due to pace the elite women's field at the Virgin London Marathon (I was to be paid thousands of dollars to do so), this article came out in ESPN:

​Why Tina Muir retired from running, at the peak of her career​

That (and many other publications, including People, Glamour, Self, Well + Good, and more) wrote about my story after I shared this lengthy blog post:

​Time to Say Goodbye: When You Have Grown Apart From What You Love the Most​

When I wrote that, I felt like the life had been drained out of me (my own doing), my health had drained out of me (disorded eating and the way I looked was now more important than running fast), and my mental health (specifically through horrific insomnia) was in a bad place.

After time away, with total rest my only focus, I slowly came back to running.

After the birth of my first daughter, Bailey, I began to run more, doing what I knew best: running hard and training to the max.

But at Boston Marathon 2019 it became abundantly clear; I did not want this life anymore. I hated that race more than I have ever hated any race. It was miserable, and in that moment, I knew (or thought I knew) my fast running days were over.

So I gave back. I felt the scale was so tipped in a selfish direction that I had to balance it back. I ran with kids who are neurodivergent through Achilles International, with friends with visual impairments, friends who are amputees, friends who have had traumatic brain injuries, and yes, the TCS New York City Marathon with Kayleigh, my best friend Barbie, the first woman with down syndrome to run that race. ​

But like Alysa, the curiosity came back, and I began to explore it.

I didn't anticiapte an intense Achilles surgery happening not long after I made that decision, but all part of the journey, right?

And here we are in 2026, where I am running more per week than I have in a decade, where the hours of time I spend training is closing in on the most I have ever spent, and you know what the best part is?

I am loving it.

There has not been a single run since my surgery that I have taken for granted, that I have wanted to be over and done with.

Okay, that's not 100% true; I have definitely had runs I have strugled through and looked forward to being over, but nothing like 2017 when I hated every single run.

Of course, I am not Olympic gold medal level, but that part truly doesn't matter.

As with what we saw on the ice with Alysa, what matters to me is that I have come back to the sport on my terms, with what is important to me at the center.

I listen to my body for when to eat (and what to eat); how much running to do in a day, week, or month; and select races by exploring what sounds like the best adventure.

In my elite marathoning days, I chose Chicago, London, and California International as they were the races I had the best chance of running a PB.

Last fall I chose one of the most difficult 100ks out there, that took me 16 hours, when I could have picked a fast one that took me around ten.

Why share this now?

Well, her story feels close to my heart, and a decade on from when I was "at my peak," it is on my mind. I don't know what this 2.0 version of my story looks like, but I know I am enjoying seeing how it unfolds.

The main reason to share though, is that often we are told to push through, to fight like hell, to chase your dreams.

Sometimes though, we need a softer, gentler, forgiving voice to support us in our brains. For me, it was the voice saying, "stop."

I listened to that voice. I quit, and I found my way back when I was ready.

You will too.

You do not have to do anything. Life is so short. Each and every day is precious.

The crazy part is, that blog post I referred to above, I also said this:

"I believe deep in my heart, that someday, hopefully after children, I will make it my mission to come back, stronger and faster than ever. A new sense of appreciation and love for the sport."

I actually forgot I wrote that, until I re-read it today.

Guess I was right. Stronger than ever, a new sense of appreciation and love for the sport, absolutely.

Faster? Depends how you define it.

The bravest thing I ever did was quit the sport that was my identity. Now it is something I do. It is a part of me, but it isn't me.

I am me, and you are you.

Is there something in your life you need to step away from?

Look at photos of Alysa smiling; that's what happens when you trust yourself.

First plogging event of the year is coming up, and it's one of my favorites.

Last year, this was the plog that led to me ending up on ABC News Live a few months later, due to this crazy moment where happenstance led to me meeting the husband of a news anchor mid plog.​

Second plog will follow the week after, on Saturday, March 21 in Chicago. Link for that one coming next week, but note it in your calendar.

If you did not come across Stephen Colbert's rebellious move last week, I suggest you watch it. Here is the interview with James Talarico that he aired on YouTube. I had listened to an interview with James Talarico on the Ezra Klein Show a few months prior, and he really gives me hope.

I think it is clear that I am not a particularly religious person, more spiritual than anything else, but this kind of approach, of bringing people in, of how we really should be treating one another (and is actually natural to do so), of thinking about what makes us human, is so inspiring to me. I love that Stephen Colbert chose to give James Talarico the opportunity (as his show is now in its final months before being cancelled), and I really enjoyed the interview itself.

“And then there is the most dangerous risk of all – the risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later.”

-Randy Kosimar

Thanks to our partner, AG1

I often get asked if I really do drink AG1 every day. The answer? A resounding yes. I love knowing that I am starting my day with something supportive and kind to my body. Knowing AG1 is powered by antioxidants, probiotics, and functional mushrooms, and supports immune system resilience, that's a pretty great choice I can make every morning for my body.

At night, AGZ helps prepare my mind and body for truly restful sleep. I’ve been blown away by how easily I drift off as it helps my nervous system unwind, even on particularly chaotic days. Chocolate mint, about 90 minutes before bed, is my favorite.

US, UK, Canada, Europe friends, this is for you. Your future self will thank you.

--

Be kind to one another, yourself, and this beautiful planet of ours.

Enjoying these? Why not forward to a friend who may enjoy. Encourage them to sign up and get these emails too. And if you missed an email, or would like to reread one, you can find past newsletters here.