Part 2

Snowdrops: They show up every year without overthinking it.

I recently wrote that I had no business running 18 miles. I was right, at least on paper. But I really wanted to finish the Delaware River Loop Series, and this was the last one. So I showed up, ran conservatively from the start, and paid attention. The result genuinely surprised me. It was not just fine — it was amazing. I felt strong at the Frenchtown Bridge halfway point. I felt strong at mile 18. I could have run much further.

I owe some of this to Ron, my running buddy, who shared the miles with me and made the whole thing feel like a gift rather than a grind.

As I ran, I kept thinking about what this experiment was telling me. I tend to overtrain. I grip my goals tightly, convinced that if I don't control the variables to the best of my ability, everything will fall apart. But here was evidence to the contrary: decent base fitness, real rest, a conservative pace, and trust. That was enough. More than enough. You don't have to run yourself into the ground to show up ready. Sometimes the most useful thing you can do is let go a little.

I think about this beyond running too. The same anxious approach to preparation shows up in other parts of my life. Maybe the lesson is the same everywhere: trust the foundation you've built, use common sense, and stop trying to manufacture certainty where it doesn't exist.