Running Post, 2022 Edition

One guarantee about race photos:  they *will* be goofy.  Finish line happiness right here.

 I ran The Biggest Little Half Martahon last weekend, so that means it's time for another running post!  I know running is not everyone's cup of tea, but if it's any consolation, at least it's not politics :).  This post will have some thoughts on the unique contours of running during covid, and training as an over 40 runner.

Running During Covid:  Don't It Always Seem to Go, that You Don't Know What You Got til It's Gone

This was my first race of any kind for 3 years.  I had planned to run this same half marathon in the spring of 2020, and had worked my way a good way up the training ladder (meaning, doing longer and longer training runs on the weekend), and then covid rolled in and shut everything down.  All races were cancelled throughout America for the rest of 2020 and into the early part of 2021.  

Despite the pause in racing, running was a terrific outlet during covid.  It was really a great boredom and anxiety reliever, especially during the spring and summer of 2020.  Those early weeks, I would go out on the trail by our house almost every night - thankfully, it was never very busy, and it was easy enough to keep a gaiter around my neck in case I happened to run into people.  Running was about the only thing I did outside of the house, and it provided endorphins from exercise, Vitamin D from sunshine, some peace and quiet for this introvert, and a chance to enjoy beautiful nature.  Those evening runs through the canyon were great, even on days when the running part itself was hard.

By late spring / early summer of 2021, races started to appear back on the scene, but there were still problems:  some of the small businesses that put on races weren't able to stay in business after a year of no races, so there were fewer races happening; the numbers of participants and volunteers were (understandably) still very low, and meanwhile cities (understandably) had all kinds of extra rules about masking and social distancing and other covid protocols, so races often got cancelled at the last minute; and you didn't know exactly if and when your own family was going to get hit by covid and then you lose 6-8 weeks of training and your entire fitness base.  I started to train for a few races in the fall of 2021, but for all these reasons, didn't end up running a race.  

Race day outfit!

So it was really, really, really exciting this spring to see races returning in all their glory, with full participation and no restrictions.  The whole ritual of race weekend is fun: picking up the packets; carbo loading the night before, then laying out your outfit; lining up at the starting line with a throng of people, then taking off together at the starting gun; running past the supportive people blasting music or

holding up funny signs; grabbing a water from the aid station and trying to drink it without choking; struggling through those last few miles and swearing you'll never do this again; running the last block as hard as you can and feeling glorious as you cross the finish line; collapsing somewhere nearby until your legs feel capable of moving again; congratulating fellow finishers and just being around hundreds of other people who find this strange, beautiful, torturous race a good time.  Cheers to the Biggest Little Half, and cheers to the return of half marathons!

Running After Age 40

This was my 5th half marathon.  I did the first two in my 20s, and I think that version of me would be shocked to know that I was still running half marathons decades later.  I first tried it out because I wanted to see if I could do it and I wanted to have the experience with my mom (who is an awesome runner with a PR that I am still chasing, and who gave me the running bug!).  I did follow a training plan, but I don't remember giving a single thought to things like what should I eat (other than, it made me super hungry and there were lots of Dairy Queen blizzards), how much should I sleep, or how should I stretch and recover.

Like eating toothpaste style nutrition supplements in the middle of the run!

That's the big difference, running in your 40s - you give lots of thought to all these things.  If I eat fast food or drink alcohol the day before a long run, it's not going to go well.  If I don't get 8-9 hours of sleep, same thing.  (This might've been true in the days before kids, too, but it's not as hard to do before kids :).  As far as recovery:  I stretch my hamstrings now about ten times a day, we have 4 ice packs in our freezer, we have a Theragun ready to go for sore muscles, and turmeric is one of the regular daily vitamins.

The other thing that's different about running at age 41 is that I realize each training cycle where I'm healthy enough to run is a gift, not a given.  God willing, I have decades left of life, but not necessarily decades of endurance running - you don't know when the injury or health issue will hit that brings this chapter to a close.  So it makes me increasingly grateful each year that my body is able to support this effort, and it makes me want to give a full effort on race day.  

Having said that -- this is also a really fun, inspired year to be a middle aged runner.  New female American records for both marathon and half marathon were set this last year --  the half marathon record is now held by Sarah Hall, mother of 4, who achieved the record  at age 38; the full marathon record is now held Keira D'Amato, mother of 2, who achieved the record this year at age 37.   These women give me hope and inspiration that if they can run their strongest at this age / life stage, then many of us non-elite runners at a similar age / stage should also be able to give it a strong go.  So I'm not saying that my running years are necessarily close to over, or even that I'm ruling out a PR in the future.  Just that I'm increasingly thankful for the gift of a healthy body as the years tick by.   (Note:  in the week between when I started this post and got around to finishing, a new record was set in the women's half - but the point still stands.)

If any of you reading this are runners, tell me:  what's your favorite distance to race?  What's your favorite part of the race?