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January 2026 FLX PT NEWSLETTER #19 Running, Big Feelings, and Learning to Handle HardJanuary is often framed as a time to “do more” or “be better,” but I want to start this year by talking about something we all face sooner or later as runners: hard things—mentally and physically.
Recently, I’ve been working through a parenting course called Good Inside, led by Dr. Becky. The workshops focus on raising children with big feelings—something I know well as a parent to a very strong-willed, stubborn, big-feelings four-year-old.
One line from the course really stuck with me:
“We are born with the ability to have all the feelings, but not the skills to manage them.”
Our job as parents isn’t to make those feelings disappear—it’s to help our kids build the skills and resilience to handle them.
As I sat with that idea, I realized how closely it mirrors the experience of being a runner—especially when injury enters the picture.
Last year, I wrote a series of newsletters about how running and life don’t actually get easier as we train—we just get better at handling hard. Our bodies adapt. Our tolerance improves. Our resilience grows.
That idea came up again recently while a friend and I were running at Cornell’s outdoor track. She commented to one of the Cornell coaches about how effortless the athletes made their workout look. His response was simple but powerful:
Don’t be deceived, it’s not any easier for them.
Their bodies have just adapted to that level of stress.
That’s training in a nutshell.
Running is hard.
It places real stress on our muscles, bones, tendons, nervous systems, and minds. As we train, that stress doesn’t disappear. Instead, we become more conditioned and more resilient to it.
Injury can feel like a disruption to that process. It often brings frustration, grief, fear, and self-doubt. Those feelings are real—and just like with kids, the goal isn’t to make them go away. The goal is to build the skills to sit with them, learn from them, and move forward.
One of the biggest mental challenges I see injured runners face is identity.
So many of us don’t just run—we are runners. It becomes a core part of who we are. And when running is taken away, even temporarily, it can feel like we’ve lost a piece of ourselves.
Here’s the reframe I want to offer you:
Running is an important piece of you—but it is not all of you.
Ask yourself:
- Who am I when I’m not running? (Or insert X activity, or with X person)
- What else brings me joy, fulfillment, or calm?
- What parts of myself get quieter when running is front and center?
Here’s a small exercise I’d love for you to try:
👉 Write down two other things—besides running—that bring you joy.
They don’t have to be productive. They don’t have to be impressive. They just have to be yours.
Now ask yourself:
How can I lean into those parts of myself this year?
This isn’t about diminishing running. It’s about expanding your sense of self, so that if you face setbacks—injury, illness, or life stress—you have other places to land. For many runners, learning to lean into those other joys during tough seasons can be a complete game changer.
Just like with our bodies, resilience isn’t built by avoiding stress—it’s built by learning how to handle it.
Running will always be hard.
Feelings will always be big sometimes.
And that’s okay.
With the right tools, support, and perspective, we get better at holding all of it.
Here’s to a year of growth, resilience, and embracing all the pieces of who you are. Feel free to reply with other things that bring you joy, I would love to hear!
Warmly,
Amanda Robertson As always, please keep in touch via: Instagram at @flx_physical_therapy Book a Physical Therapy Appointment here Website: www.flxphysicaltherapy.com
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