Changing My 2026 Running Plans After Surgery

I had quite a few races planned for 2026.

But sometimes, life has other plans.

Why am I changing my plans?

I recently had surgery to remove multiple fibroids. They had grown and were causing enough problems that, after discussing things with my doctor, we decided it was better to deal with them now rather than keep putting it off.

Honestly, I had hoped to get through my races first and sort everything out afterwards.

But surgery obviously changed things.

And I realised I don’t want to rush my recovery just to make a race happen.

So… What Happened to My 2026 Races?

I’ve decided to step away from my remaining 2026 races.

My calendar now looks a little different:

Oh well… there goes my nicely planned race calendar. 🫠

Of course I’m disappointed. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t. 🥲

I had plans for these races, and it’s hard to just let them go.

But it wasn’t exactly how I imagined my running year would go, and I’m okay with changing the plan.

For now, I’d rather take care of myself, recover properly and choose quality of life.

Running will still be there when I’m ready.

There will be other races, other starting lines and other goals.

For now, it’s just one step at a time. 🐌🤍

May xx

When Running Isn’t Possible, I Walk

I was inactive for the past three days.

I travelled to Singapore for a medical check-up and only returned to Thailand yesterday. Between the flights and the appointments, running didn’t happen.

Today I thought about going for a run again. But when I paid attention to my body, both my legs still didn’t feel quite right. Not painful. Just… not normal.

So instead of forcing a run, I decided to go for a walk.

For runners, walking can feel strangely slow. When you’re used to running, everything normally passes by quickly — the trees, the houses, the people, even the distance.

But when you walk, the pace changes. You notice things you usually miss.

The quiet of the evening.

The sound of the waves.

The sun slowly setting and the sky changing colour.

A slower pace, but still a beautiful evening.

When you run, your focus is often on pace, distance, or finishing the route.

When you walk, there’s no pressure to keep moving fast.

Today’s walk reminded me that slowing down isn’t always a bad thing. Sometimes the body just needs a bit more time to settle.

I’m still frustrated that I can’t run properly yet. But at least I’m still able to move.

And for today, walking is good enough.

May xx

Rest Is Harder Than I Thought

Some days, doing nothing feels impossible. Even sitting still feels wrong.

I’ve always thought discipline was about doing more.

• More miles.
• More structure.
• More consistency.

Now I can’t run. And I feel… off.

Walking or running usually keeps me steady. Gives my day shape. Clears my head. Without it, everything feels weird.

Rehab is slow.

Calf releases. Tiny strengthening moves. Slowing down stuff I usually rush through. Nothing feels like progress.

No sweat. No Garmin numbers. Just doing it.

I poke at the injury sometimes, just to see if it’s okay. Old habits die hard.

I know I need to back off before it actually hurts.

I keep checking, “Can I run now?”

“When do I get back to normal?”

I like plans. I like certainty. But recovery doesn’t care about that.

Anyway… I went for a swim because I can’t just sit around.

Played a bit of MLBB and scrolled for new Pokémon cards instead.

Maybe this is what rest really is — finding a way to keep moving, even when you can’t do what you usually do.

May xx

How Compensation Caused My Calf Strain

I couldn’t sleep last night.

The pain was stinging and uncomfortable. That was when I knew I couldn’t keep waiting. I’m glad I finally made the appointment to see a physiotherapist about this running injury.

Compensation isn’t obvious. Until it hurts.

Although I’ve been to a few physio sessions before, this one gave me more clarity about what was actually happening. The explanation was much more detailed — maybe a little too detailed. I kept thinking about the time ticking away from treatment. The first visit was supposed to be 75 minutes: 15 minutes consultation and 60 minutes treatment. In the end, I was left with about 45 minutes of hands-on work.

But for the first time, I properly understood the why behind the pain instead of just being told to rest and stretch. There were many technical terms — some I thought I knew, but actually didn’t.

So here’s what happened.

I already had issues on my right side — plantar fasciitis and shin splints. A classic overuse injury combination for runners. Without realising it, I started overusing my left side to compensate.

And now I’ve created another problem on the left.

Not bad luck. Just imbalance. 🫩

The physio explained that my soleus and medial gastrocnemius were tight and overloaded — essentially a calf strain from prolonged compensation. When those calf muscles don’t function well, everything down the chain reacts — including the plantar fascia.

It isn’t just shin pain.

It isn’t just hip discomfort.

It’s compensation.

It’s load management.

It’s how the body adapts to injury — until it can’t anymore.

What struck me most was how easily the body adjusts. When one side is injured, the other side quietly takes on more work. You don’t notice it immediately. It just feels like you’re “managing” your training load.

Until you’re not.

The hard part of injury recovery isn’t always the diagnosis.

It’s accepting that recovery doesn’t follow your schedule.

I like structure. I like plans. I like knowing when I’ll be back to normal training. But rehab doesn’t give you that certainty. It asks for patience instead — something I’m not always good at (and honestly, something I don’t enjoy).

Right now, recovery looks like calf releases, controlled strengthening exercises, and being more intentional with load management. The therapist said she’ll share videos so I can continue the rehab exercises at home. Not exciting. Not dramatic. Just consistent work.

I know one physio session won’t fix a running injury. And the clinic is too far from home for regular visits. But at least now I understand what I’m dealing with.

And somehow, that feels calmer.

At least I know I’m not dying. My legs aren’t going to be chopped off. It’s just muscle imbalance from compensation.

And imbalance can be corrected.

I just hope I’ll have the discipline to follow through with rehab and recover properly. I get frustrated when I can’t run — angry, even. Running keeps me steady, and not being able to do it feels like losing part of my routine.

But being stubborn clearly hasn’t helped either.

Maybe this is a reminder not to ignore the small ache that won’t go away.

What’s one signal your body has been giving you that you’ve been brushing aside?

Have you ever compensated for one injury and created another without realising it?

May xx

A Quiet February: Travel, Routine and a Running Setback

February went by so fast I can’t even remember what I’ve actually done.

Me, pausing long enough to appreciate the stillness.

There was a short getaway to New Zealand with my boyfriend, and then it was Chinese New Year — which I decided to stay away from this year. A quiet CNY. I don’t really celebrate it anymore, and I shared why in another post.

New Zealand was beautiful. There’s still so much I would like to explore, and I know I will go back someday.

It was a short trip, too short. 😬

A bit of looking around.

A bit of walking.

A bit of running.

Amazing view of Lake Tekapo. Even more beautiful in person.

A photo taken during our boat ride along Milford Sound.

One of many beautiful views we passed on the drive to Christchurch.

Then we flew back to Bangkok.

I had a week of work that kept my brain occupied. After that, I tried to return to my normal routine. Quiet mornings with coffee. Reading again. No rushing. That part felt good.

Then I tried to run properly again.

But I couldn’t run much.

Somewhere along the way, I probably picked up a minor running injury. I tried managing the load and running through it.

There’s been persistent pain along my left shin, especially after impact. My right plantar has been flaring up on and off. I saw a physio when it first started, but the pain came back.

I’ve rested. I’ve adjusted. I’ve done what I could.

Almost everything — except properly following up.

I kept telling myself I would wait until I flew back to Singapore for follow-up treatment. Maybe it sounds a bit silly. Still, if I’m honest, waiting isn’t helping. Even walking is painful now.

So I’ve decided to see a physio here tomorrow.

Sometimes discipline isn’t about pushing through pain.

Sometimes it’s about pausing and fixing it properly.

I don’t like slowing down. But maybe this is also part of training.

It’s something I’m still learning — even though I’m always the one saying I should listen to my body.

Maybe now it’s my turn to actually practise it.

May xx