Welcome to June, Upper Valley Runners. If you are reading this, it means you have managed to navigate at least 11 weeks of life changing global pandemic. It means that you have either seen your job completely shut down or your job has become exponentially more intense. You may have even taken on several new jobs like “remote learning facilitator”, fulltime childcare provider, fulltime eldercare provider, designated grocery store shopper, or sourdough bread baker. If your time at home has been anything like mine, it has had moments of joy and moments of tears. It has felt both like the longest 11 weeks and yet somehow, I can’t believe that we are waking up to summer weather and June.

As we move into a new month, one thing I am feeling more than anything is exhaustion. I have spent the last week writing and deleting what I wanted to share in my greeting to you. And after the emotional roller coaster that was this week, I decided that what I wanted to share was that it is ok to be exhausted. We have to remember that nothing about the pandemic is normal and it is making us examine our lives in ways we never would have. The protests and demonstrations we are seeing are American’s crying out that the “normal” so many are longing to go back remains broken and deadly for people of color. And if you are anything like me, the way you have chosen to deal with all this is to run, spin, and strength train until you are so tired there is no way you can stay awake at night thinking about the challenges of 2020. So yeah, I’m feeling pretty tired right about now.

But what do we do about the physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that many of us are experiencing? Well, I am going to do what I do best and make a list. A list of what I am going to intentionally focus my energy on and a list of what I’m leaving behind.

What I am leaving behind:

• 30-day challenges, unless it is a 30-day savasana challenge but somehow that hasn’t popped up on Instagram yet.
• Remote learning and the pressure to ensure my kid is learning everything he “should“ be. School ends in five days, we’re going to make those five days relaxed and not a slug through weblinks and virtual worksheets.
• Trying to do both my fulltime “real” job and fulltime parenting. Multitasking often leads to both tasks being done poorly. I have no idea how to do this but I’m going to start by remembering to close my work computer when I’m on mom-duty.
• Half-done tasks, if I haven’t finished in 11 weeks, it is likely never going to get done and it is time to move on. Clear out the mental space for something new, the basement never really needed to be reorganized anyway.

What I am using my energy for in June:

• Running for both physical and mental calm and clarity. And maybe even finding a virtual race or challenge that will spark a little competition and fire.
• Reflecting on my gratitude for living in the Upper Valley where we have access to beautiful natural spaces, ample ability to social distance, and low traffic country roads for running.
• Reconnecting with friends in socially responsible ways now that Vermont and New Hampshire are beginning to slowly open up.
• Learning more about the impacts of systemic racism and the actions we all need to be taking to dismantle it. (This is what I wanted to write about for this opening. I had so many half sentences written on race, the outdoors, and running but the grief and exhaustion of being a person of color this week kept me from finishing any of them.)

This monthly greeting has little to do with running. However, as I have connected with colleagues across the country and we have shared honestly about how we are managing through this time, one thing always happens. At the end of the call (or most likely Zoom), we reflect on how we didn’t realize so many others were feeling the same way, that we had assumed we were the only ones struggling because everyone seems so calm and focused during meetings, and that is reaffirming to know that we were not in this alone. Take this June greeting as my reminder to you that while we may still be physically distant, we are socially connected. My experience the last 11 weeks may look nothing like yours, but we are still weathering this storm together and I bet we have felt a lot of the same feelings. This my reminder to you that you are not feeling all of this is isolation and hopefully my sharing will make you feel a little more connected.

Isolation leads to exhaustion, so now more than ever, we need to tether our boats together to have the energy and stamina needed to stay afloat in these stormy seas.