Sometimes the race doesn't happen.

I was packed, registered, and on my way to one of my favorite races—Crazy Muley 27K in Alberta's sand dunes—when a trailer tire blew and changed the course of my weekend.

At first, I was disappointed. I was gutted. I had trained, planned, and looked forward to this race for months.

But as I reflected on the week leading up to it, I started to see a pattern: a neck issue, a hip twinge, unusual fatigue, and a body asking for more recovery.

In this episode, I share the story of my DNS (Did Not Start), the emotions that came with it, and the realization that sometimes the thing we need most isn't another finish line—it's recovery.

Questions to consider:

Have you ever DNS'd a race?

Looking back, were there signs you missed?

Has life ever forced you to slow down when you didn't want to?

Was it the right decision in the end?

Sometimes recovery arrives disguised as disappointment.

Because running fits into life, not the other way around.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit trailrunnersjourney.substack.com