My plan for this year’s Still I Run: RunStreak for Mental Health Awareness Month was to run or walk at least one mile every day. While I didn’t execute that plan perfectly, I still walked or ran at least a mile on 22 out of 31 days. That’s something I’m proud of. I have always emphasized to my patients that progress is more important than perfection, and although I also say that to myself I don’t always believe it. It’s easy to focus on the mistakes or the missed days, and instead of doing that this month I am really trying to live that mantra: progress not perfection.
The progress I made this month is something I am really proud of. I earned eight Garmin badges in May, including the “May Rundown” badge for completing 50 miles of running. That’s the first time I’ve hit that kind of mileage since September 2024! I also managed to hit my step goal on all but 7 days this month. I bumped up that goal from previous months thanks to a challenge I did for work, and I’ve continued to make progress on moving more every day.
This month I added in more strength training and yoga than I have in quite a while. It has helped my body feel stronger and more balanced and it has also supported my mental health. I am hopeful that the momentum that started in May will continue into June, as I hope to include yoga as not only cross-training, but another tool to help me manage my ADHD symptoms.
I recently started working more intentionally with my therapist on building consistent morning and evening routines. These routines help me get better sleep, support my training, boost my energy, and better manage some of the executive dysfunction that’s part of living with ADHD. Speaking of ADHD: I had a formal evaluation last week, and I’ll get the results this Thursday. If I am officially diagnosed, I’ll be talking to a psychiatrist about treatment options to help me feel more focused, balanced, and in control.
I’m heading into June with a lot of motivation. Not because I didn’t do everything “perfectly” in May and I want to strive for perfection, but because I’ve been building sustainable habits and seeing real growth. I’ve signed up for 16 Garmin challenge badges for June. I don’t expect to get each and every badge, but I am hopeful that they will motivate me to keep incorporating different kinds of movement to keep me well-rounded in my training. More strength. More yoga. More intention.
Here’s to keeping the momentum going. Here’s to listening to my body, prioritizing my mind, and continuing to make progress, even when it doesn’t look picture-perfect.
RD on the Run 