I closed my eyes for a moment and tilted my head toward the sky. The sun was shining. The chilly wind was blowing the leaves off the trees, swirling yellow and red snowflakes in the air. This place was so familiar, and yet, I felt like a stranger here.

On Saturday, I walked (although I wanted to run) along a sidewalk I knew every inch of for so long. It was a park in my old Atlanta neighborhood where I lived for nearly 10 years. I knew where my Garmin would beep to signal another mile seconds before it actually did. I knew the exact moment I’d start feeling pain from a steep hill and relief from the next downhill. I ran the perimeter of this park more times than there are numbers to count. Eight marathons, two half Ironmans and countless 5Ks, 10Ks and half marathons were trained for around this park.

Yet on this cool, crisp day now as a Floridian, I was only a visitor.

I couldn’t help but get a little nostalgic with every turn. My arms were pumping as I chugged along, walking with 25 extra pounds and a basketball-shaped belly. The first house Mr. rUnladylike and I ever lived in together and owned was just eight homes down from the east entrance of this park. In 2009, we had our engagement photos in this park. It was also that same year I ran my first half marathon.

Suddenly, I realized how much that park symbolized change in my life. I became a long-distance runner in that park, which has forever changed me. But it also represented a transformation far deeper than running. The park was a constant as I got married, bought a first and second home, enjoyed new career success and finally packed up to move away. As I circled the park on Saturday morning as a visitor, the physical changes of me walking my once familiar running path at 33 weeks pregnant also signaled another milestone, living in a new city and starting a family.

I silently smiled as my Garmin chirped to announce another mile. Every journey has important stops along the way. This was a nearly 10-year stop I will forever cherish, wrapped up in a simple running route. All that was and all that is yet to be was symbolized in a loop around the park.