This may be a crime...

but I think I love New Year's even more than Christmas.

Christmas is nostalgic and cozy, like your favorite running route that hits the right spot after a long work day.

But New Year's is charged with a different kind of energy and potential, like a new, challenging, but stunning route you discover is only 5 minutes from your house.

It just hits differently.

So tell me, what are your 2026 running goals? What's on your calendar already and what do you have your eye on? (no really, email me back. I wanna hear!)

I'm personally hoping this year will be my year.

I've got some plans for drwhittfit up my sleeve that, if they all work out, will actually open up space in my life to train again like I want to. And maybe even race.

I know I've mentioned this race before, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed to make "race to the caves" a reality (if my chronic-illness body cooperates). It's a 10k or half race option that finished INSIDE a local cave system! Like how freaking unique would that be? Plus, the post-race swag should be pretty cool, right?

And there's also a "frozen" series in winter that starts in November with one race a month that lasts till January. Because in North Alabama, the coldest it really gets is into the teens and the 60 degrees and humidity returns in February. it's too much, i tell you. Too much, too soon. I'm learning to embrace the fact I'm a cold weather runner. Because whose really going PR in 90 degrees F (35 C i think?) with 90% humidity?

Jokes, man. Just jokes.

The whole point:

Make some time to run for fun this year.

Keep the joy and play and silliness in your run.

It prevents burn out, keeps racing fresh, and takes a huge mental load off of the days where you have a bad run.

Yes, I know a lot of you THRIVE on a training plan with races on the calendar. So do it!

But I also want you to know, the 'gram is about to get FLOODED with "inspirational running goal" posts. And while it can be fun to see what "everybody's plans are", it can stir up a whole ton of comparison-itis, too.

So reality check: if you're going to compare your training + race calendar to theirs, you have to COMPARE the whole dang thing.

Their job to your job.

their time to your time.

Their kid/family situation to yours.

You gotta take the entire reality into context.

When you do that, you save yourself a whole lot of heart ache and FOMO.

Because you realize, the comparison isn't' equal. It's not even remotely close. And a lot of times, it shows you, you're doing pretty dang great considering everything you've got going on.

Make this year YOUR running year; not a mirror of theirs.

We want to hear about YOUR plans, YOUR runs. Not mini-me-run-fluencer.

And again, thank you, from the bottom of my runner's heart for being here. For having stuck around all of 2025 or maybe for joining the running fit fam!

I've got some fun things planned for 2026 that I think you'll be excited about and I can't wait to share it with you.

You all will always be the heart and soul of Dr.Whitt.Fit because without you, none of this is possible (and I'm just shouting into the internet void haha)

So as always,

Dare to Train Differently.

Marie Whitt, PT, DPT //@dr.whitt.fit

P.S. Nope, no new blog post this week. But that's ok because barely know what day of the week it is right now, right? But don't worry. We'll start the new year off strong with new running specific strength exercises next week. So buckle up!

Looking for MORE ways to work together?

• ​RUNNING RESCUE CALL: Save your run and your race. Work directly with me 1-on-1 at the first sign of an ache, niggle, or repeat running injury. We'll deep dive into the why behind your injury and create a personalized exercise program that gets you out of pain, keeps you running, and helps prepare you for race day!
• Grab my NEWEST FREE Strength resources for runners: The Calf & Achilles Cure Toolkit, made for marathoners sidelined by stiff, painful achilles and tight, injury-prone calves who want to protect their training cycle and show up to the starting line strong, pain-free, and ready to race.
• ​STRONGER FEET WORKSHOP: Losing the battle to plantar fasciitis, posterior tib pain, or reoccurring Achilles tendonitis? Not with this workshop ;)

Did that blog post or YouTube video knock your compression socks off? Consider leaving a tip so I can keep delivering awesome-socks content! Never expected; always appreciated.

© 2020- 2025 All Rights Reserved. You are receiving this message because you purchased a product from @dr.whitt.fit and/or signed up to receive content. This message is for informational purposes only and does not create a health care provider-patient relationship between you and Marie Whitt, and nothing you receive or view from Marie Whitt or @dr.whitt.fit, should be construed as medical advice.