This is the year I think that this blog becomes less about running and more about travel, backpacking and just adventures. That being said, have a lot of running news in this post but 2021 will have much more with adventures.
2021 is not off to a good start. As I write this, I've spent the last month struggling with what I thought was an IT band but now appears to be a popliteus muscle strain. It even seems that it might have begun as an IT band issue and then became a popliteus strain as I did not take enough time off.
Now I am sidelined for at least another week or two and looks like my recovery will be slow if I want to let this fully heal. Thankfully, I was able to ride my bike yesterday and that seemed to have actually helped rather than to make things worse. So that's encouraging.
2020 - What a year! I never imagined there could be a year like it. I ran a 5k road race in mid March and then bam, just like that, the entire country shut down. Teaching from home online gave me a lot of time for running and cycling. I did a lot of cycling so as not to run too much and injure myself. I felt it was a good balance and I felt great.
For the next two months, I just did this from home with an occasional camping trip to the forest. By June however, I was ready for some adventure. So I made a trip to the John Muir Trail along with some Death Valley NP and Zion NP on the way home.
That trip inspired a subsequent family trip in early July and then I backpacked some of the Colorado Trail in July.
Both backpacking trips were good trips but I need to do more on both trails (though I've almost done entire JMT now) and I need to stay out longer.
With most races canceled, I ran 5K test races with the Cross Country teams and as fall started, I was able to get a lot of speed work in with the CC team. I never run speed work like I do with the CC team. That really helps to push all of us to be faster. So my best for this year in the 5K was a 19:15 and an 18:52 (aided downhill). I'll take it!
I had some great solo half marathon runs on Poteau Mountain where I love to run, bike and camp. Including a 1:52 PR there.
Racing resumed somewhat here in the fall and I did the Pumpkin Holler 50K where I ran great for the first 20 miles and was on pace to break four hours but then struggled in to a 4:17. But it was a beautiful camping trip for Suzanne and I.
In November I did the White River Marathon but dropped to the half. It's a double out and back and I just didn't want to go out and back again. I finished in 1:32 at steady but easy pace. I'm certain I would've fallen off that pace but confident I would have finished in sub 3:10, at worse sub 3:15. I'll just have to do a fast road marathon in 2021.
Then three days after White River, I went camping and running in the forest and tripped and split my knee open. 15 stitches and 2 months later, it still hasn't completely healed. It was also in November that I began having the IT band and popliteus strain symptoms.
Don't be fooled by what you read on the internet. You cannot run through these injuries. You must stop running. If it hurts, stop. Allow it to heal. It will get better but will take time. Do not run until it is completely healed and your injured leg feels as strong as the uninjured one. Then come back slow and only without pain.
So that's where I'm at for 2021 and I need to heal up so I can fulfill my big adventures.
I'm set to pace the Little Rock Marathon again this year. Not sure if they will have it. I paced it last year in early March (forgot to mention that) and hope to again this year.
Athens-Big Fork and Switchbacks are almost certainly out for me because of this injury but I'm looking at maybe getting to do the Greenleaf Trail Run January 30th. February has Styx and Stones 30K, so looking at that or maybe White Rock 50K. Little Rock and March. April will be some speed 5K's etc. Maybe a road marathon like Hogeye or OKC?
In May I turn 50. Not sure what I'll do to celebrate but running will be involved somehow. Either a birthday trail run on Poteau Mountain or 5K or maybe another Grand Canyon R2R2R as I did to celebrate turning 40.
But my biggest plans for the year center on backpacking and Europe. I want to hike from Chamonix to Zermatt and do another trail race somewhere in Europe and then also spend time exploring some new European cities.
Then in July I'd like to get back to the JMT. It's just becoming a yearly pilgrimage for me and I love it.
Maybe some other travel as well?
Of course all of this depends on Covid's cooperation. I'm hopeful the vaccine will make it all possible.
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