I Forgot What It Feels Like To Feel Good

Running for Mom

I wanted to do something big for my mom’s birthday—something that meant something to me, something that was challenging, and something I hadn’t done before.

It was June 29th, 2015, and I was about three miles into an outdoor run. I felt good. Headphones on, Beats by Dre blasting the perfect rhythm song. I was running down Route 91, a straight shot.

My goal: Six Miles for 6/29

Three miles in, I was in the zone. I always run toward traffic, so I can see the vehicles coming. Sometimes they get close—too close—but at least I can anticipate them.

This wasn’t my usual loop. Normally, I’d run a circle around the Grand Prairie facility—about two miles. But today, it was a rectangle: straight, right turn, straight, right turn again.

This run took me into unfamiliar territory. I was nervous, but it was for my mom. She had never seen me run or jog seriously.

By the time I reached the end of the two-mile stretch, I made my right turn and hit another long strip. A few small hills, mostly flat. People honked as they passed. I kept my stride—steady, not too fast, not too slow.

When I made my final right turn at Casey’s gas station, I could see Gold’s Gym ahead. My target was 6.29 miles—a nod to her birthday, 6/29.

I believe I hit it. And nothing felt better than completing that run. That runner’s high stuck with me. It kept me running daily for months after.

The Setback

But for the past 12 months, I’ve battled plantar fasciitis. It started in my right heel. I tried new shoes—Hokas with extra bounce—and tennis ball therapy. Eventually, the pain shifted to my left heel from overcompensating.

Just when I started walking on the treadmill again, I pushed too hard—speed 3.0, incline 6.0—and felt pain flare up in my left foot. I could barely put weight on it by the end of the day.

Rehab and Routine

So I went back to rehab: tennis ball massage, soaking my feet, stretching. I also had to face another truth—I hadn’t been taking care of myself the way I should.

Pain, grief from losing my cousin, and life’s pressures had weighed me down. But I reframed pressure as weight—and weight is how you build strength. You lift it, push it, and stand tall under it. #MOREWEIGHT

At my cousin’s wedding, I wore Nike Air Max sneakers instead of my cushioned Hookas. They were flat, more stable. Surprisingly, they helped. My hips realigned, my foot pain eased, and I altered my morning routine.

Prior to that, for two weeks, I did 30 minutes on the stationary bike every morning. My body felt better.

First Run Back

Yesterday, I jogged for five minutes. Pain level? Just a 2 out of 5. This morning, I ran a mile nonstop between speeds 3.5 and 4.0—and the runner’s high came flooding back.

After a year of pain, I remembered what it felt like to feel good.

Time and the Dash

Time is a gift. Damon Dash once said that between your birth year and death year, there’s a dash—and that dash, is your life.

I want my dash to be filled with movement, health, and joy. My mornings start with prayer, Bible reading, coffee, then cardio—bike or treadmill—to clear my head and prepare to give my best to my clients.

My Morning Mindset

So I ask you: How do you get your mind right in the morning?

If you don’t have an answer, start with movement—20 to 30 minutes. Stretch. Do push-ups. Do squats. Get active.

Because the only way to succeed in fitness… is to move.