The Slow Hiss: Finding Momentum After a Stagnant Year
Time flies when you are having fun. Time will also pass you by if you sit idle.
For the better part of a year, I sat idle.
I sat in that room, dead center on the couch, staring out the window analyzing the sidewalks—the cracks, the fallen branches. The surfaces I used to run on felt miles away. "Just go for a run," they said. It sounds so easy. But when you are deep in it, the task feels insurmountable.
I’m going to be honest about where I was, because I think we need to stop treating mental health like a taboo subject in business.
2025 was a year of extreme duality for me. On paper? It was a success. I poured myself into others. I focused on my clients’ wins. I earned my Associate's degree in Marketing. I started truly branding myself as a creative.
But if you set the accolades aside and looked at me? It was a disaster.
I had entered a depression and was hanging on by a thread. I felt like a burden to myself. Old habits crept back in. The dad who used to run 50-milers, the guy who found peace in the rhythm of their breath, was gone. My wife told me she missed the runner. I missed him too. But I felt too far gone to find him.
| Date | Title | Distance | Elev |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/17/2025 | Afternoon Run | 1.14 mi | 43 ft |
| 6/15/2025 | Morning Run | 2.27 mi | 53 ft |
| 11/06/2024 | Afternoon Run | 1.66 mi | 141 ft |
| Date | Event | Distance | Elev |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7/30/2022 | White River 50 | 49.64 mi | 9,169 ft |
| 4/23/2022 | Capitol Peak 50 Mile | 49.16 mi | 6,765 ft |
| 9/10/2022 | Morning Trail Run | 31.89 mi | 9,580 ft |
| 5/06/2023 | Mac 50k | 32.56 mi | 6,706 ft |
Then, the universe intervened with a "slow hiss."
A flat tire. Unrepairable. The last thing I wanted to deal with. I walked inside, annoyed, and my wife jokingly said, "Welp, you have a bike."
That was the moment. The universe pointing a finger.
I inflated the tires on my son’s purple carbon fiber Trek 2100. It matches my Craderson Carriers bag perfectly. I put on the helmet. And I rode to work.
Trek 2100 Carbon Fiber Bicycle
Craderson Carriers 1 of 1 custom running vest / commuting pack.
I am now 7 days in, and the shift is profound.
I am sleeping better. My mind feels sharper. The fog that plagued me in 2025 is lifting. It turns out, the "disaster" wasn't permanent. It was a season.
The Creative Shift
I’ve learned that I cannot pour into your projects if my own cup is empty. Getting back on the bike isn't just a personal win—it’s a commitment to my clients. A healthy creative is a dangerous creative. I am heading into this next season with more clarity and focus than ever before.
I’m back on the bike. The routine requires focus and planning, but I finally made the leap.
Here is to fixing flat tires, and fixing ourselves in the process.
Have you ever had a 'slow hiss' moment that forced you back into your routine? I'd love to hear about it in the comments.
