These past two weeks have tested me more than I expected. Not long after I told my coach how blessed I’d been to avoid injuries that sidelined me from running this year, everything seemed to unravel. I probably jinxed it!

It started with a spider bite that turned into an infection so bad I needed surgery to drain it. The wound had to stay open, so running was out of the question. Just as I started easing back into it, I had an allergic reaction to the plaster covering the still-healing wound. I ended up running with the wound uncovered, which made me nervous and extra cautious.

Taking time off from running is hard. It’s my go-to for keeping my weight steady, so my mind jumps to worst-case scenarios when I can’t run. I start worrying I’ll gain a ton of weight or lose all my progress.

But here’s the reminder I’ve been holding onto: that kind of thinking isn’t fair. It doesn’t leave room for grace. I had a wonderful year with nearly 2500km of running mileage. I can only do what I can—and that’s okay.

I keep returning to a lesson I learned years ago: Living as healthily as possible in the moment will always work in my favour. Even if that living needs to look different for a little while.

So, remember to give yourself some grace if the holidays aren’t going quite how you planned—or you’re dealing with a few curveballs. Keep making the best choices you can in any circumstance, but have fun and enjoy the moments that matter. You’re doing your best and that is enough.

Wishing you a joyful Christmas, if you celebrate it, and a fresh start in the new year.