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How to Keep Going When You’re Over It: Taking the Hill with Marcel Dinkins - She's So Lucky | Wave AI Podcast Notes

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How to Keep Going When You’re Over It: Taking the Hill with Marcel Dinkins

She's So Lucky

Tue Jul 08 2025

Summary

Podcast Summary: "How to Keep Going When You’re Over It: Taking the Hill with Marcel Dinkins"

Introduction

In this inspiring episode of She’s So Lucky, host Les Alfred sits down with Peloton instructor Marcel Dinkins to explore the resilience required to persist through challenging times. The conversation delves into their personal journeys, the significance of taking bold steps, and the importance of embracing discomfort to achieve personal growth.

Lucky Moments Shared

Les and Marcel begin the episode by discussing their respective "lucky moments" that significantly impacted their lives and careers.

Les' Lucky Break with Peloton (02:14)

Les shares her serendipitous journey to joining Peloton:

“I put Peloton on my vision board a couple of years prior and was actively aligning my activities toward that goal. When COVID-19 hit, despite the setbacks, someone discovered her through Instagram and reached out about Peloton. It was a moment where preparation met opportunity.” (03:34)
Marcel's Encounter with Michelle Obama (04:01)

Marcel recounts how her book club led to a private meeting with Michelle Obama:

“I hosted a book club in Seattle discussing Michelle Obama’s Becoming. A coworker on Michelle's book tour approached me, leading to a private 90-minute session with her. It was an unbelievably lucky moment that validated the power of persistence.” (05:35)

Career Transitions and Personal Growth

The conversation shifts to their diverse career paths and the courage to pivot when necessary.

Les' Multifaceted Career Journey (06:03)

Les outlines her transitions from being a Division 1 athlete to a military officer, then to fashion, and eventually to fitness and Peloton:

“I always follow my interests. From athletics to the military, and then to fashion and fitness, each pivot was driven by a desire to find joy and fulfillment.” (06:20)
Marcel's Insights on Pivots (08:49)

Marcel emphasizes the bravery required to make significant career changes:

“People are often afraid to make big pivots, like moving into the military or transitioning into full-time fitness. These changes are daunting but essential for personal growth.” (08:49)

Moving to New York: A Bold Step

Les shares her adventurous move to New York City, highlighting the risks and rewards of stepping out of her comfort zone.

Les' One-Way Ticket to NYC (18:12)

Detailing her impulsive decision to move:

“I bought a one-way ticket to New York with just $1,200. The day before my flight, I informed my mom, knowing she would naturally let me go. Thirteen years later, I'm thriving in the city I once feared.” (18:12)
Encounter with Tracy Ellis Ross (22:34)

A humorous anecdote about meeting Tracy Ellis Ross on the subway:

“I was so embarrassed that after whispering my admiration to her, I quickly exited the train to avoid an awkward situation.” (24:21)

Embracing Authenticity and the Beginner's Mindset

Les and Marcel discuss the importance of being authentic and embracing the learning process.

Les on Being a Beginner (26:14)

Reflecting on her own experiences:

“It’s okay to suck at things initially. Sharing these authentic stories helps others understand that everyone starts somewhere and that perseverance leads to improvement.” (26:14)
Overcoming Perfectionism (29:12)

Addressing societal pressures to appear flawless:

“No one starts out perfect. Embracing the journey, including the struggles, makes our successes more relatable and attainable for others.” (29:12)

Taking the Hill: Overcoming Personal Challenges

The episode delves into the metaphor of "taking the hill," inspired by Les' cross country experience.

Origin of "Taking the Hill" (36:53)

Les explains the significance:

“Running up that challenging hill taught me that facing and overcoming obstacles is a privilege. It became a motto that I share with my students and now through my podcast.” (36:53)
Impact on Students and Listeners (40:59)

Highlighting how the ethos influences others:

“One listener shared how taking the hill helped her secure a job she was initially afraid to pursue. It’s about pushing through discomfort to achieve personal victories.” (40:59)

Hyrox Race: Testing Physical and Mental Limits

Les discusses her experience participating in Hyrox, a demanding fitness competition, and how it symbolizes her resilience.

Understanding Hyrox (45:05)

Marcel seeks clarification on Hyrox:

“Hyrox is a fitness competition involving multiple physical challenges, including runs, sled pushes, and wall balls. It’s both physically and mentally taxing.” (45:05)
Les' Motivations and Challenges (49:12)

Overcoming injury and the thrill of the race:

“Despite tearing my ACL and spraining my MCL two years prior, I pushed through the Hyrox race. It was a testament to my physical recovery and mental fortitude.” (48:17)
Future Aspirations (50:59)

Planning to participate in more competitions:

“I'm already looking to sign up for another Hyrox and a Chicago marathon. Proper training will be my focus, but the experience was incredibly rewarding.” (50:59)

Podcasting and Continuous Learning

Marcel and Les discuss Les' journey into podcasting and the continuous learning process involved.

Launching "Take the Hill" (36:53)

Les shares her motivations:

“I started the podcast to have deeper conversations and learn from others' experiences. It’s about understanding how people take their own hills in life.” (36:53)
Learning from Peers (34:18)

Marcel praises Les' listening skills:

“Your intentional way of listening is brilliant. It’s something I aspire to improve in my own interviewing style.” (34:18)

Conclusion

The episode wraps up with mutual appreciation and encouragement for listeners to embrace their own challenges. Marcel commends Les for her journey and the meaningful conversations she facilitates through her podcast.

“You are a podcaster now. If you have a podcast, you are a podcaster,” Marcel affirms, acknowledging Les' efforts and the impact of her work. (36:35)

Key Takeaways

Embrace Pivots: Personal and career transitions can lead to significant growth and unexpected opportunities.
Authenticity Matters: Sharing genuine struggles and beginnings can inspire and empower others.
Resilience Through Challenges: Facing and overcoming obstacles, metaphorically "taking the hill," builds strength and character.
Continuous Learning: Whether through podcasting or fitness, the journey of learning and adapting is ongoing and rewarding.

Notable Quotes

Les on preparation meeting opportunity:

“Luck is preparation meets opportunity. I have been preparing for it, and then opportunity presented itself.” (03:48)
Marcel on career pivots:

“People are often afraid to make big pivots, like moving into the military or transitioning into full-time fitness. These changes are daunting but essential for personal growth.” (08:49)
Les on handling perfectionism:

“No one starts out perfect. Embracing the journey, including the struggles, makes our successes more relatable and attainable for others.” (29:12)
Marcel affirming Les' role:

“You are a podcaster now. If you have a podcast, you are a podcaster.” (36:35)

Resources Mentioned

Marcel Dinkins:
- Instagram: @officialmarcelfit
- Peloton Classes: onepeloton.com
- Podcast: Take the Hill on Spotify and YouTube

Final Thoughts

This episode of She’s So Lucky serves as a powerful reminder that resilience, authenticity, and the willingness to embrace change are key to creating one's own luck. Through heartfelt stories and practical insights, Les Alfred and Marcel Dinkins encourage listeners to take their own hills and persist through life's challenges.

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Transcript

Les (0:01)

The following podcast is a Dear Media production.

Cassandra (0:12)

Welcome back to she's so Lucky, the podcast where we are creating our own luck now. I cannot tell you how often I am doing things that I frankly don't want to do. Whether it is in the gym, whether it is in my business or just life admin. There is so much pushing through sometimes that is required to get to where you want to be. That is annoying. And the meme or TikTok sound that I am often repeating to myself is the I'm tired of this grandpa. But then I also have to be grandpa and say to myself, that's too damn bad, because sometimes we just gotta push through. And I don't necessarily mean that in a, you know, harming way where it's like, we don't deserve rest and softness, of course. And sometimes to reach new levels requires being able to sit with and move through discomfort. And so if that's something that you need help with, the same way I need help with it at times. Today's episode is for you, and it's also equal parts fun and inspiring. I am joined today by Marcel Dinkins. Marcel is a creative force. You may know her as a Peloton instructor, inspiring you to push your limits on the tread. Sometimes when you have big goals or aspirations, it requires a deeper level of grit. And Marcel knows exactly what to say to inspire us to keep going and to actually feel good about it. So let's get lucky with Marcel.

Marcel Dinkins (1:44)

Marcel, welcome to the show.

Les (1:45)

Thank you so much for having me.

Marcel Dinkins (1:47)

I'm super excited to have you.

Les (1:49)

I'm excited.

Marcel Dinkins (1:50)

We met last year at a panel at Peloton that you moderated.

Les (1:54)

Yes.

Marcel Dinkins (1:54)

That was a really cool. It was just like a really beautiful, like, mindful event.

Les (1:58)

Yeah, I really enjoyed it. And I feel like now I'm on the opposite side.

Marcel Dinkins (2:02)

Exactly. Now I get to, like, interview you and moderate a convo with you. So the question that I've been asking everybody to start off is to share a moment or an experience they had when they felt really lucky.

Les (2:14)

Honestly, I would say, like, my lucking upon, like, peloton. It was just such a strategic moment. I had put it on my vision board, I want to say, like, two or three years prior, and I really wanted to do it. I. I had found this space where I was personal training, and I kind of reached, like, this plateau where I was just like, I'm not top at my gym. Like, I'm doing this, but I don't really love this part of it anymore, and what could I do? And what's out there in the world. That includes all the things that I love to do. And Peloton was it. So I put it on my vision board, and I started doing all of these things that kind of I felt were in alignment with that. And I finally got to this studio where I'm, like, a founding trainer, and I'm in the boutiques that I know that they, like, usually, like, search at or what have you. And then, like, Covid happens. Oh, no. And, like, everything is shut down. And I am like, okay. But luck would have it that they started scouting through Instagram, and I was one of the few people that had gotten, like, a business coach, and I'm doing SEO and I'm putting all of my classes online. And so someone slid in my dm and they were like, hey, have you ever heard of Peloton? And I was, like, looking at my vision board, like, yep. So I would say that was a really lucky moment.

Les (6:20)

Yeah, I. Yeah, I. I always think that, you know, we are as humans, very much so, like cats. I really do think that every four or five years, like, you can potentially be living an entirely different life. And I feel for myself, starting out in sports and being an athlete and being a Division 1 track and field cross country athlete, it was just an interest that I had. And then I just kind of poured myself into that interest. And then my next interest was the military. And then I became a army officer. I've jumped out of helicopters, I've jumped out of airplanes. Like, when I did it, I was like, I don't want to just be sitting behind a desk. I want to be one of the, like, cool people. Like, that's what we call in the military. So I was like, I don't know. I want to be an engineer officer. So I became an engineer officer. I know nothing whatsoever about math. So I was one of the, like, you know, I learned how to do more of the combat engineering stuff. And that's like, you know, with explosive and all that stuff. And I really enjoy all of that. And then it was like, okay, honestly, I don't want to do this anymore. I really love working out. It's one of those things that really centered me, really grounded me throughout my life. Like, I have really anxious tendencies. And so moving to New York, I was just kind of looking around, like, what can I do that can pay me well and follow some of my interests? And so then here I am, like, in the gyms. And that was after just leaving fashion, because fashion was just like, blah. Like, I love to dress well, but I hate everything about the ins and outs of, like, the fashion scene at that time. And so I was like, all right, let's go into the gym space. And, you know, went through personal training, one on one training, was really top trainer at my clubs, and then was like, ah, this is boring. And then got into the group fitness space, and now I'm at Peloton. So I just kind of follow my interests. I think that a person that's really inspiring to me is like, Maya Angelou. If you've ever sat down and just really dissected her story, it's insane how accomplished this woman is. It's insane. And it's just because anytime she had an interest, she'd just say, all right, I'm doing this now, and I'm gonna take it to the end of the road. And then when I no longer want it or to no longer need it, I'm just gonna go be something else. So.

Les (9:03)

Honestly, I feel that, like, my soul kind of says I can't do it anymore. Like, I honestly will push until I really physically can't do whatever I'm doing anymore. When I don't, like, I'm a very joy driven person. And when I no longer have, like a distinctive joy for it, I have to pivot. I remember getting into fitness. When I got into fitness and personal training, I started out as, like, I was making like $12 an hour at Lucia Roberts. It was. It was really bad, but I really enjoyed it. I thoroughly enjoyed what I was doing. And so I just kind of like, all right, how can I make More money at it, but still do what I enjoy doing. And so then I became a fitness manager. I managed other trainers, I developed other trainers. I. I helped them build their businesses. Like, my clubs became some of the top clubs in the city. Eventually I was just like, I'm just only learning how to sell at these clubs. I'm learning how to develop other people, but I'm really learning how to sell. And this is not me learning fitness. And so I just, honestly, I get bored. And I said, okay, I'm going to start over. And then I went to Equinox and they had like this great trainer development program. And so then I went through that and I was like, okay. And when I got through that, I became like a tier three plus trainer. And I'm one of the top instructors in my. In my club. And then I became the top instructor in my club. And then I was literally like, one day, I kid you not. And I tell everyone this story because this is it. This is the moment for me. Every time I was on the top floor and at our club, you had the functional area at the top floor and you could look out the window. And so my clients are always new to come up there. And at that time, I was training maybe like nine or ten clients a day. And so I got there at like 5 o' clock in the morning. It was dark out. You know, New York City, you've been here for a little bit now, so New York City, summer life can be crazy. So it was dark when I got there. The sun came out, it snowed. The rain came out to melt the snow. The sun came back out again and it was dark and I was still standing in the same place. And I was like this, like, that was the moment where I was just like, I have to do something different. Because I felt that day was like a montage of, like life passing me by. And I just feel that need, that itching, and I say, what can I do? Just minimal, to get me to where I just feel good. Like, I just really like to feel good in my life. And so, yeah.

Les (18:12)

If you could share it here. Oh, yeah. So when I went to school, I did track and filled across cross country. To be completely transparent, My freshman year in school, I was crazy. I didn't go to class. I just skipped class. I would party all the time. And so the money that I did have for school, I lost it. And so I joined the army. I joined the army National Guard and I was in ROTC program throughout the college. And it was so great for me because it provided me with a little bit of structure, a little bit of discipline, some direction. And with that I was still studying fashion. Like, I still have my like free flowing side, but I had this structure in this discipline alongside that. So then when I graduated, it was time for me to go and get a job. But I still have military obligations. So you have to do your military training the year prior to you going to wherever you're going to move to. And so because I was reservist, I could do my training wherever, but I needed to make sure that wherever my job was, my duty station was also there. Wherever I'm going to work, it's also there. And so I had intentions on going back to Milan because that's where I interned in college and I had everything situated. But as a first generation college student, I had no idea about the process of getting my visa before securing any of these things prior to. And so the military was like, you're going back to Mississippi where you went to school. And I'm like, actually I'm not doing that. So I was kind of like at a loss. I didn't know what I was going to do. Honestly, I was just like, well, how long would it take me to get to Milan? You know, all of this? And I just honestly didn't want to get stagnant. I didn't want to get stuck. And so I was at home in Memphis, or I want to say about four, four months before I decided, you know what? New York is a big fashion place. Like if I wanted to get a job in fashion, I could just move to New York. And if I lived in Milan for like three months without knowing the language fully, I mean, how bad could it be to move to New York? And so I knew my mom would freak out being the Southern Christian woman that she was. And so what I did was I bought a one way ticket to New York. I think at that particular time I maybe had like twelve hundred dollars. I bought a one way ticket here and I decided, hey, like I'll give myself a couple of months. I didn't set a deadline, but I did say I'll give myself a couple of months. I'll see if I can find an apartment, if I can find an apartment. My military checks will be hitting soon. I'll pay up a couple months rent and then I'll go from there. And so I booked a one way ticket to New York City. The day before my flight, I told my mom, hey, I'm moving to New York the day before, the day before. Because I know my mom, like she, my mom would have tried to talk me out of it. My mom would have talked me out of it. She would have just gave me the money back for the plane ticket. But I also knew that if I put it like that she would let me go. And she'll be like, oh, she'll be back, you know. So I was just like, hey, I'm moving to New York. I need you to take me to the airport, and she was like. And she just, you know, like, almost like a dare. Like, yeah, okay, sure. Like, I'll take you. And she took me. And then she was like, are you really getting on this plane? I'm like, I'm going. I am going to New York. And so, yeah, like, I moved here, and it's been 13 years, so I think I'm doing it. Yeah. From that one way tickets. Yeah, I think I'm doing good.

Les (26:14)

You know, one of the people that I follow a lot, and, you know, he's controversial, but I really love, like, David Goggins. I'm obsessed. And one of the things he talks about is, like, keeping a cookie jar of all the things that you've done or things that you've accomplished and. And just being able to, like, pull back and draw back on those things in order to get you to the next thing or whatever. And I really do believe that what my life has taught me is that I'm strongest in my pivot. I'm strongest in when my back is against the wall. So when I got ready to teach my premier class at Peloton, it was insane. My music didn't play. I think I got my period that same day. It was crazy. But I am the calmest in that moment. I am my calmest I could possibly be when everything goes crazy, because I know for certain that I'm good in a tight spot. That's something that my life has really taught me, that, hey, 1200. Moved to the most expensive city in. In the world. Like, not a problem. Don't know anybody. Not a problem. I literally, when I first got here, I stayed in. If you are familiar with New York, if you're a New Yorker, you understand this. I stayed in a hotel and, like Hollis, Queens, it was not nice. I thought that the L I R R was the actual subway. Like, I took that every day. So my money was, like, just really burning. Like, I was burning, and I only had 1200 bucks, you know, burning through it. And then I found, like, the first apartment that I had was in La Frac City. Like, if you know anything about New York, you know how ratchet everything that I'm saying really is. But I've, you know, like, you just figure it out. Like, that's kind of one of the things that I just really feel confident about is that no matter how ratchet it is on the surface, like, you just wait and see. Like, I'm going to finesse this. Like, I'm going to figure this out. And so I think that that's what everything has taught me. Like, it's okay. Like, it's okay to. It's okay to suck at things. It's okay to be a beginner at things. It's okay to, like, start new. And I really think that. That it's, like, kind of frowned upon in this moment of social media where everything looks perfect. And so I was talking about this the other day. One of the things that I love to do is go all the way back to the beginning of people's things. Like, all the way back to their first Instagram post. Go back to the beginning. See how ratchet it actually was. Like, no one started out perfectly. And I say this with all the grace and all the respect in the world. Go all the way back to Beyonce's early photos. Like, go all the way back. Like, you know what I mean?

Les (34:18)

You know, honestly, again, it's one of those places where like, I'm interested. I'm gonna tinker with this. I'm gonna figure this out. You know, I started the podcast Take the Hill, started it via social media. So honestly, I was saying it in my classes and I was like, it would be so interesting to pull these conversations out because I really love having the same thing, having these conversations where I'm getting to learn from a person and also about a person. And so I started doing video kind of podcasting over on Instagram. And I was like, I like this. And so then I'm like, okay, let's take it over to Spotify. Let's take it over to YouTube. And it's been, this is like my third season. I go in seasons and I'm looking to do about like, my goal is to do about like 15 episodes a season. I'm about like six right now. But it's really hard. I respect. Like, I was talking to you about. I'm like. Like, it's really hard. I've gone all the way back through your podcast as well. Yeah, no, but that's what I. Like I said this off camera, y', all, so I have to say it on camera because I have to give her her flowers on camera. I go through and I just try to learn how to evolve as an interviewer, as a podcaster. And one of the things that I really love about you is that from the very beginning, you've had this very intentional way of listening. And as an interviewer, it's really hard to just listen because you want to jump into the conversation. It can be messy. And you also want to interject with just confirmations. I feel like confirmations are my. Like, oh, my God. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so you have had this brilliant use of just your listening skills from the very beginning. And I'm like, maybe other things have evolved, but that has just been solid through and through. And so as I'm learning and going back through all of my favorite podcasts and learning from them, I'm just really like, oh, my God. Like, I can't wait to get to that point where I'm five years in and it's finally something that I'm like, I'm a podcaster now. Like, I don't call myself a podcaster now. I'm like, I'm learning. I'm a novice right now. But I can't wait to get to that point where I'm just like, yeah, I do have a podcast, but I will say I'll be a full podcast, full fledged podcaster, like, maybe three or four years.

Les (36:53)

Yes. So the title of the podcast is Taking the Hill. And the reason for that is that when I was in school, like I said, my first year was just so garbage. I was spilling everything. And it was more or less having that first opportunity to be away from home, having this first, like, taste of freedom. And what I realized very quickly is that you have to choose your friends very wisely, and you also have to take pride in, you know, what you want to do. And so I ended up walking onto the cross country team, because sports was just always, like, a grounding thing for me in high school. And so I walked into the cross country team. I was not a good runner whatsoever. I actually was. I was horrible. I sucked so bad. But the coach, she gave me an opportunity anyway. She was like, yeah, you know, this girl has heart. To come out here and embarrass yourself like that. Like, you have to have some heart. And no, it was bad, y'. All. I'm not even exaggerating. My coaches also confirmed this, so. So. But she really liked the fact that I willing to do this. And I don't think that any of us really had any high hopes for my improvement, But I did really improve, like, to the point where I was actually traveling. I was on the traveling team. So one semester, she would always take us out to these trails, and we went out to this horse trail in Alabama, and there are these great hills there, and it's really good for some speed work. It's really good for development for the athletes. And so she took us out to this hill. And I will never forget this because my coach was so nice, so sweet. And I'm running up this hill and I'm complaining. Like, I'm complaining. Like, I'm vocal about it. And everyone else here, for the most part, is like, scholarship. And I'm the only one out here just, like, you know, running my mouth. And she just simply walked up to me and she was like, well, quick. I mean, like, you know, I was just like, well. And it was a gut check. Like, obviously, you know, you're in that moment. You're like. Your feelings are kind of like, oh. But also, I can honestly say it was a stern gut check. And I checked myself right away. And I think that that was also a reason why she put me on the team, because I. Okay, yeah, I'm accountable for that. I'll hold myself accountable for that. But she checked me, and she was like, well, quit. And I had this moment of thinking to myself immediately, I'm not going to quit. Like, I'm not quitting. But then I also had this moment of checking, like, why are you complaining so much? Like, either do it or you don't do it. And so the next hill that I did, I did, like, faster, and I did better. And the next one, I did faster and better. And honestly, after that, like, hill repeats became. I decided in my mind, like, this is going to be my favorite workout. I'm going to make this my favorite workout. And so then after that, everywhere, I would Go. Anytime I would travel, if I see a hill, I'm like, I'm just going to go run that hill. Like, I'm just going to go take the hill. Because it just kind of reminded me that it's a privilege. It's a privilege, honestly, to take the hill, and it's a privilege to be challenged. It's a privilege to go through hard things and learn from them. And so that was honestly where that came from. Like, if something is in front of you and it's hard and it's challenging, yeah, it does suck. But, like, it's a privilege to go through that. And so I developed that as, like, a motto and an ethos for myself. And then I started sharing it with my students in my classes. And, you know, I would share it because of the workout. It had its own meaning for me, but I would share it because of the workout. And they were like, well, this is how I took the hill in my life today. Marcel, you would be so proud of me. I took the hill. Like, you know, I really didn't want to do this. I was so afraid to submit for this job, but, like, I felt like it really reminded me of taking the hill, and so I did it, and then they got the job, you know, so it's. It was just stuff like that when they started sharing that with me, that I was like, hey, there's something here. Like, let's go have these conversations out in real life and. And ask people how they've taken the hill in their own lives. And I started to learn so much. One of my colleagues was the first interviews that I had, and I learned so much about her in that conversation. I was blown away by that conversation. I was like, I want to keep doing this. I was literally just, like, hooked. I was like, I want to keep doing this. I want to keep having these conversations.

Les (45:43)

And then once you leave, you're like, I'm not doing that. So it could be okay. Like, yeah, it might be like that. I get that. So Hyrax is a fitness competition or race, and it's separated by 8, 000 meters. So every competition that you do or every workout that you do, you do a thousand meter run. So you do a thousand meter run, and then you do the ski, or you do a thousand meter run, then you, like, do sled pull. You do a thousand meter run, sled push, and so forth and so on, and ends with a hundred wall balls and you can do it either as a team or as a single. You can do it as like a co ed team or a mix. They call it mixed doubles. But yeah, in total you run about 8, 000 meters and. And you're doing all of these events in between and it's crazy. Honestly, it's not the craziest thing I've ever done, thank God, because of the military, like. But it is extremely challenging. It's very humbling and in a way that you're just like, wait, it's still going. Like, wait. Like, wait. I'm still like, I'm so serious. I was like, at the end, I was like, wait, am I. I'm still doing this. Wait, I have station. What? Like, you know. But I had the most fun. I had the most fun because it was really challenging. I couldn't breathe a lot. It taught me that I really need to work on like some of my conditioning. But I kicked butt on those train stations because, like, what's my zone of genius? And it was really rewarding for me because two years ago, at the end of 2023, August 2023, almost like literally coming up on my anniversary, like, I tore my ACL and sprained my mcl. And so then that was like almost seven or eight months. Like, no teaching, not doing anything physical. And I've been playing basketball or some. I've been on a team sport or doing some type of activity since I was in the sixth grade. And so to not physically work out for seven months. Well, I mean, not run. I did work out because, like, my brain wouldn't take it. But to not be able to be really active, truly for seven months was the longest I've ever gone in my entire life. So even after that process, it's taking me up until this year, so two years later, to finally feel almost myself in my body again, like, to move without hesitation to move and not have to contemplate the movement. I'm just getting back to that place. And so for me, I really wanted to do it because I was so happy that I can. And at the end of the race, I was just like, I didn't think about my leg once. I was so happy. I was just telling my partner, like, I didn't think about my leg once. And you know, it's hard, but what a rewarding feeling this is.