2020 Reflections
Last real race… early March.
Weird to sit down and think about the past year, which has felt like 20 years fit into one. It wasn’t what anyone planned, but overall I really cannot complain since I still have my health, job, family, etc. The year started out with so much hope and large goals and the year will end that way planning for next year.
It’s crazy to think how blissful we all were in Q1… fun races going on, the Olympic Trials were absolutely epic, but little did we know what was coming. Overall, I think I was able to make the most of the year - I ran some races, summer trained, injured myself, I mean what more can you ask for? Here is a little trip down memory lane for the crazy year that it was! This is strictly running memory lane!
January - ran the Houston Half as a workout since I was fresh into Boston training after taking time off after CIM. I was fairly pleased with slipping in under 130 at the start of training and my miles were evenly split. Ashley and I had a fun weekend in Houston.
February - The Olympic Trials take the cake here. It was amazing to watch, especially in my home city! Everyone could finally understand the Atlanta hills. It was a cold and windy day, but we were out there for hours in awe of all the talented women (and men, but lets be honest, we were alllll eyes on the women’s race). It was tiring, but wouldn’t trade it for anything and even got in a nice half marathon course PR the following day.
March - something is coming, we just have no idea… a week after the half I ran a 5k (to give myself a Peachtree qualifier… oh katie, that isnt going to happen) 19:19, but i wanted more, I wanted to go under 18 again. Boston got “postponed”
April - Marathon didn’t happen, but I was cruising in shape.. figured I would focus on the shorter distances and then go back to marathon training, because a fall marathon was happening…
May - ok, no races, let me race myself! Ran a 19:17 5k, that was fun and started doing mile time trials. It was keeping things interesting.
June - Found a trail race, rolled my ankle and I think this could have been start of the PF… It was fun to race again, even socially distant. Hey, it was better than nothing. Was able to get up north and it was nice to get out of the heat.
July - summer is here! I set my sights on running virtual boston as a tune up for St. George, all that was still gonna happen at the time. I was feeling fit, cruising in long runs of 18 to 20 miles in the 730s during the summer.
August - ran 20 and 22 milers, felt phenomenal.. oh my foot had other plans for me…. I tried to do the rest some, run, can i gut out virtual boston? St George was cancelled, but then I set my sights on Nebraska.
September - No virtual boston and I shut it down. I figured 2-3 weeks I could get ahead of it and be alright for Nebraska or even a half in RI in October. Let me take up swimming again to keep fitness.
October - oh hell no, you aren’t gonna run, and its going to be a while. The pool and I become buddies….. What I couldn’t do on the road, I could do in the pool. I raced myself, I dropped significant times, it was something. I kept up my strength for runners program. I was determined to come back stronger than ever.
November - the foot doesn’t want to get better. No matter how many things I ordered, needles stuck in me, PT, etc…. I did a Tenex Procedure on Friday the 13th with the hope I would be running outside by Christmas. More fast times in the pool.
December - Finishing up on the alter-g and able to head outside for some miles! Feel like a deer in headlights, but the comeback is happening. The fire is back and its time to plot my next moves next year.
If this year taught me nothing else, its that you will always have running, well except when injured. I was so happy when I could run healthy and challenge myself. Of course I want races to come back, but that was enough for me. Bring on 2021!