Finding My Stride Again: Embracing Summer Running with Scoliosis

July might’ve brought the heat (and humidity), but I closed it on a high note—it was my highest mileage month since last September! After months of striving for some semblance of consistency, this small-but-mighty milestone felt like a big win.

The Ebbs and Flows of Life with Scoliosis and a Toddler

Last month, I ran just over 23 miles total. It might not seem like a lot to others, but it’s a lot to me. Running consistently has been a struggle for me in the last year. Between motivation highs and lows, sicknesses would hit the family right as I was making progress, and the ongoing physical discomfort and mental roadblocks that come with scoliosis and a fused spine, staying on track hasn’t been easy. But progress isn’t always linear—and I’m in this for the long run (pun intended).

Strength Training as a Foundation for Running + Scoliosis

What changed in July? Well, it actually started in June. I doubled down on what’s become my foundation: strength training. After a few solid weeks of doing a variety of Peloton strength classes, I began weaving in running with intention, not pressure. Right now, three run days per week seems to be my sweet spot, allowing me to balance a realistic strength and running schedule with work and toddler mom life.

Summer Running (and Learning to Love the Treadmill)

The irony in all of this: summer is my least favorite time of year to run. The heat and humidity of the Northeast is always brutal, and with a lung capacity that’s a bit more limiting than most (thanks, scoliosis), breathing can be extra difficult on humid days. As a long-time tread-dreader, I’ve finally embraced the machine, and lo and behold it’s been paying off! The shift to embrace the tread wasn’t easy, but it really boiled down to this: either use the tread to run, or don’t run at all. The all-or-nothing mindset isn’t something I call upon very often for motivation, but in this case, it was actually quite helpful.

Moving Forward: August Intentions

One of the things I really love about running is that it’s there for you no matter where you are in life. You don’t have to run marathons or hit certain paces to call yourself a runner. Running can meet you where you are—physically, emotionally, and seasonally. As I head into August, I’m aiming to keep that same energy: showing up and staying consistent.