Might Delete Later: When Life Derails Your Running

Might Delete Later: When Life Derails Your Running

From Dear Runner Bod, by Serena Marie RD

June 8, 2026 · 31 min · Episode 171

About this episode

In this vulnerable episode, Serena shares her personal struggles with fitness loss during a challenging season of life, emphasizing the importance of self-acceptance and mental health for runners.

This is one of the most vulnerable episodes I’ve ever recorded. The last 8 months haven’t looked like “disciplined athlete life.”They’ve looked like grief. Morning sickness. A stress fracture scare. Illness. Pregnancy symptoms. And a body that simply couldn’t do what it used to. And if I’m being honest… I didn’t handle it well at first. I felt frustrated. Guilty. Angry.Like I was losing a part of myself. In this episode, I’m sharing what it actually felt like to lose fitness in a season where I didn’t choose to slow down… and how I’m finally starting to surrender instead of fight it. We talk about: Why losing fitness can feel so personal (especially for runners) The mental spiral of “I should be doing more” The difference between giving up vs. being forced to pivot What it looks like to honor your body without labeling it as laziness If you’re in a season where running feels harder… or life is just heavier… this episode is for you. You’re not lazy.You’re not making excuses. If you would like to feel stronger and more supported on your runs and actually enjoy your strength training routine, you can try ANDA App for free for 7 days and 20% off your subscription with my code SERENA…

People in this episode

Host: Serena Marie RD

Topics covered

  • fitness loss
  • mental health
  • running challenges
  • pregnancy
  • body image
  • self-acceptance

Keywords

  • running
  • fitness
  • pregnancy
  • mental health
  • self-acceptance
  • stress fracture
  • grief
  • morning sickness

Sponsors

ANDA App

Mentioned in this episode

Products: ANDA App

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