Writer on the Run: 2021 in Review

By Jenna Schifferle
jenna.schifferle@gmail.com

With the first snowfall of the season behind us and the holidays ahead, 2021 is officially history.

Next month, the year will be in our rearview mirror as we flip our calendars and begin anew.

For me, the year has been filled with setbacks and small victories. I started 2021 with the intention of running 30 miles for my 30th birthday and hitting 2,021 total miles.

I crushed the first goal and missed the second by several hundred miles. In between those two targets, I have also managed to develop a strength routine and dabble in different types of yoga. To be honest, though, I’ve also overeaten and sat for hours at a time without moving — all while working with a nutritionist to improve my diet.

My health journey isn’t linear, and it never has been. It’s been messy and filled with frustration.

I’ve gained weight and lost weight, hit and missed goals. Somehow, amidst it all, I still find joy in trying to be the best version of myself while loving the most chaotic versions of myself (including the one that misses the mark and eats too much pizza). After all, that person is the same one who crossed the finish line at the Chicago Marathon.

Next month, I’ll take out my notebook on Jan. 1 and begin to sketch out a new vision for the year. That might include running more half marathons or doing something new with yoga. It might include a diet reset or simply working on being more present-minded. Instead of dwelling on what I haven’t done, I’ll set my sights on what’s to come and what I will accomplish.

Of course, you don’t have to wait for the new year to start crushing your goals. Start today if you can. If not, begin tomorrow. Regardless, remember to appreciate the version of yourself that you are right now.

Until the next mile,
Jenna

Jenna Schifferle is a writer from Tonawanda. She runs to stay healthy, challenge herself, and collect new stories to write about.