Well, this month went slightly differently than I had expected. On the first of the month, I woke up to my car window smashed and the whole thing nearly stolen. Since then I’ve been working to get it fixed, but since I own a Hyundai, one of the cars that has been targeted in “TikTok thefts,” getting parts has taken some time. More annoying, however, is that I had to drive out of my way to find a auto body shop that didn’t require me to drug test my car. Yes, that’s right, my car. Apparently so many people have been doing drugs inside of stolen cars that if any drug use is detected in a car, it’s … bad. Not entirely sure how it’s bad, considering none of this is my fucking fault in the first place, but them’s the breaks.
This means I haven’t been to parkrun for a few weeks. The window has a plastic drop cloth over it, so it’s protected from the rain, but driving with a broken window is frustrating. I’ve had a lot of back and forth with my Progressive rep and the auto shop and it’s been … slow going, to say the least.
My only race this month was the Holiday Half, which didn’t go as I expected. With a week or two of hindsight now I think it was fine, I was just frustrated by my lack of progress. A year of running after years of not means that my body is still trying to process what’s been going on, and I think running a second half marathon in December was just too much for it. That plus the stress of the car debacle. I’m proud of myself for getting out there though, even if the day was miserably rainy and cold.
Since the half I’ve been taking it easy. Like, really easy. Turned off my daily suggestions and just ran a few 5ks at easy paces. My right leg is giving me a little bit of trouble, likely some soreness from the half, and I want to let it heal up before I try to work my way back up to proper mileage. This week (the last week of 2023) I’m likely not going to run at all, in fact. Strava is telling me that I’ve got 6 miles until I hit the 100km badge for December. We’ll see if I make it.
If I’ve learned anything this year, and especially this last month, it’s that I get to decide how I want this to work. In other words, I don’t need to go fast, or far, to be a runner. Garmin Coach was trying to push my pace up, which might be good for a long term benefit or progression, but it’s also fine to just run at a slow, easy pace. I’m never going to be an elite runner, never going to run a sub-5 minute mile (probably never going to run a sub-8 minute mile). I’m just here to get my cardio in and see the sights.
So, that’s it for 2023. Last year, 2022, my total mileage, running and walking, was 450 miles. I ran a grand total of 26 times. This year, I ran–just ran–800 miles, over 244 activities. I ran two half marathons, one quarter marathon, one 10k, one 4 miler, and 20 5ks. I ran 34 parkruns and met a whole new group of people. I pushed myself more than I have in a decade, woke up countless times before the sunrise to lace up and head out the door. I have enough running kit to last me another decade.
I wish I could give some grand advice about how I turned this corner; the truth is, I just did it. Nike was right. You just go do it. But, you know, what “it” is isn’t what you think. It’s not 0-60mph in 2.6 seconds. It’s 30-35 for the rest of your life.
So, who knows what 2024 will bring. I have another half marathon lined up–the Shamrock Run, which was supposed to be my first half marathon ever, but now will be my 3rd. I also am technically signed up for the 2024 Portland Marathon, the full thing, the whole kit and kaboodle, but we’ll see if I feel up to actually running for 5 hours. 2023 was a jumpstart kind of year in terms of my fitness; 2024 is more like brushing my teeth, but for my … feet. I really need to work on my analogies.
Anyway. That’s my 2023. My 40th year of life. Eleven months that went pretty well, and then December. 😆