Before 2020, I was only a casual runner. I always liked the idea of running more than the act of running. Last year (2019) I logged about 100 miles, but I was terribly inconsistent. But, I resolved to become a better runner in 2020, and here is my year in running.
My 2020 Running Goals
My main goal for 2020 was to run 365 miles, the equivalent of a mile per day. Due to my past inconsistencies with running, I had some doubts about my ability to make it to 365 miles. I only ran about 100 miles in 2019, and that was over the span of 4-5 months. I also set a stretch goal of 400 miles. When it became clear I would reach this easily, I extended that to 500 miles.
As for pace, I set a goal to run a 5K in under 30 minutes (something I’ve come close to in the past but never achieved). I also challenged myself to complete a 10k, and would later set a stretch goal of 10 miles. Besides these short- and long-term goals, I also challenged myself on individual runs. I may try to maintain a certain pace, beat a certain time, or run difficult intervals.
Stats
I always track my runs with Runkeeper. Below are some of my stats from 2020. The app crashed mid-way through a couple runs, so these starts are accurate to within a couple miles.
- Total Miles: 473.5
- Average Pace: 9:57/mile
- Runs: 132
- Total Time: 78:36:38
- Longest Distance: 6.34 miles (4/5/20)
- Longest Duration: 1:07:07 (4/5/20)
- Best 5k: 28:09 (4/2/20)
- Best 10k: 1:01:36 (3/15/20)
Looking back at these numbers, I hit my peak between mid-March and early-April. My progression was rapid from January to April, and then I had many highs and lows through the rest of the year.
Running Highs
The first three or four months of the year were exciting. On January 1st, I struggled through a 1.5-mile run, and by March I was running 6 miles. That rapid progress gave me a lot of confidence that I could reach my milage goal for the year. Many days I would wake up 5:00am to run before work and zero motivation. But after dragging myself out the door and taking that first step down the road, I had no regrets. The feeling of running a 5k before most people are out of bed is immensely satisfying.
Hitting personal milestones throughout the year was also motivating. Running my first 5k under 30 minutes, 29 minutes, 28 minutes were significant moments. The feeling of running 4, 5, 6 miles for the first time makes you forget all the pain and exhaustion. Some of my favorite runs started out terrible. I felt like garbage mid-way through, I caught a second-wind and achieved the mythical “runners’ high,” then broke a personal record. Those days keep me coming back for more, even when I don’t feel like running.
The best part of 2020 was reaching my milage goal far sooner than I anticipated. As I started hitting milestones like 100, 200 and 300 miles, it became clear to me that I sold myself short. On September 29 I hit 365 miles. I realized 400 miles was inevitable and 500 within the realm of possibility. That was an encouraging feeling.
Lows
Running is hard. It’s physically and mentally exhausting, it’s painful, and it can be boring at times. Running is also a high-impact activity. Your feet are pounding the ground thousands of times, sending a shock up through your whole body. High impact means high injury risk, and injuries have been the biggest downside for me this year. Sore calves, knees, feet, shin-splints, I have battled a little bit of everything. Nothing sucks more than feeling you are progressing well only sit for a week or two with bum legs.
I have also had several runs that were just bad for one reason or another. Either I was too distracted, the weather was too hot, I wasn’t hydrated enough, I ran too soon after eating, I stayed up too late the night before. Of course, these are all a result of my own poor choices, but even so, they all make running less fun. One of my goals in 2021 will be to take better care of my body on off-days so I have fewer bad runs.
My 2021 Running Goals
My distance goal in 2021 will be 500 miles with a stretch goal of 600. I set my stretch goal at 500 miles this year and I fell 30 miles short. But, I am in much better fitness now and I know 500 miles is achievable.
Besides my total milage goal, I have the following goals:
- 5k under 9:00/mile (27:54)
- 10k in under 1:00:00 by March 1
- 10 mile-run by April 1
- Half-marathon by September 1
Most important, I plan to focus on being a more well-rounded runner. This means improving my diet, form, flexibility, core strength and rest/recovery routines. Although I am in much better shape now than I was in January, I began to hit a wall late in the year. I know this is because I have neglected may of the areas I have listed above. To reach my 2021 goals, I must put in a lot of work on and off the trail. I will also continue to record my runs in my journal and reflect on what is working and where I need improvement. I am looking forward to many more miles and milestones in 2021!