Don’t Yuck the Yum: New Year's Resolutions and Trail Running

January has a way of making people weird...and I don't mean the people who make New Year's resolutions.

Suddenly the trails feel busier. The gym parking lot is full. Group chats light up with opinions nobody asked for. And women who are already juggling work, family, mental load, and a million quiet responsibilities are trying to make space for one more thing they want for themselves.

And somehow, that becomes a problem.

Trail running has taught me a lot over the years, but one of the biggest lessons has nothing to do with pacing, vert, or what shoes you’re wearing.

It’s this: we are way too comfortable commenting on other people’s joy.

When wanting something feels like a risk

For a lot of women, wanting something out loud feels risky.

Wanting to run more.

Wanting to train for a race.

Wanting time that’s just yours.

Wanting to change one small thing in a life that already feels full.

That decision doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It happens after work emails, after caregiving, after coordinating schedules, after carrying the invisible weight of everyone else’s needs.

So when someone finally says, “I think I want to try this,” it’s usually not impulsive. It’s overdue.

And yet, this is often the moment when commentary shows up.

“We’ll see how long that lasts.”

“Must be a January thing.”

“Good luck finding the time.”

Those comments don’t land as jokes. They land as confirmation of a fear women already carry: maybe I shouldn’t want this.

Trail running doesn’t care how busy you are, but people do

One of the things I love about trail running is that the trail itself doesn’t judge you.

It doesn’t care how long it took you to get there.

It doesn’t care how chaotic your day was before you laced up.

It doesn’t care if this is your first run back in months or your hundredth week in a row.

But people? People absolutely care.

We decide who looks like a “real” trail runner.

We decide who belongs.

We decide who is annoying for trying.

Sometimes it’s loud. Sometimes it’s subtle. Sometimes it’s just a look or a comment disguised as humor.

But busy women feel it immediately.

And that energy doesn’t just live on the trail. It shows up at work, at home, in families, and in friendships. Any time a woman tries to change something about her life, there’s often someone nearby ready to minimize it.

The quiet reason people stop showing up

Most people don’t quit trail running because it’s hard.

They quit because it starts to feel like one more place they don’t quite belong.

They feel watched.

They feel behind.

They feel like they’re doing it wrong.

They feel like they need to earn space before they’re allowed to take it.

That’s exhausting when you already feel stretched thin.

And it’s the same reason people abandon goals outside of running too. Not because they don’t care, but because the friction adds up. When wanting something comes with judgment, it’s easier to let it go.

We mistake cynicism for wisdom

Somewhere along the way, being jaded became acceptable.

Rolling your eyes looks like experience.

Dismissiveness looks like realism.

And discouragement gets framed as honesty.

But cynicism isn’t wisdom.

Experience doesn’t give you ownership over a space.

And being around longer doesn’t give you permission to decide who gets to try.

Trail running is already humbling. Life already asks a lot. We don’t need to make either harder by tearing down someone else’s excitement.

Belonging is built in small moments

You don’t need to coach someone.

You don’t need to fix their plan.

You don’t need to share your entire backstory.

Most of the time, what actually matters is simple.

“That’s awesome.”

“I’m rooting for you.”

“Tell me more.”

Those moments matter. Especially to women who are carving out time, energy, and confidence in the margins of very full lives.

A reminder worth carrying with you

If you’re setting a goal right now, whether in January or a random Thursday afternoon, hear this:

You’re allowed to want something more.

You’re allowed to start when it makes sense for you.

You’re allowed to go slow.

You’re allowed to take up space before you feel fully ready.

And if you’re watching other women do the same?

Let them.

Don’t yuck the yum.

Don’t comment on how long you think it’ll last.

Don’t act like you own the trail, the gym, or the way someone else moves through her life.

Trail running teaches us that progress is built quietly, step by step, by people who keep showing up even when it’s inconvenient.

Let’s be the kind of women who make it easier for others to do the same.

Good effort. Positive attitude.💛🧡⛰️