2019 was not my best year of running. I was plagued with pain in my hips and back from Summer 2019 onward. I tried stretching, foam rolling, strength training to focus on my hips, but nothing seemed to work. In early December, I took almost a week off work. I was hoping that not teaching classes and not being on my feet most of the day would ‘fix’ me. It didn’t.
Finally I went to physical therapy. The therapist explained my pelvis had twisted out of place. Probably this happened when I fell on ice with my youngest son in December 2018. He broke his leg in that fall, so I ignored any pain I felt from landing hard on my hip. A year of training, running and living life with it out of place brought me to the point where it hurt to sit, drive, stand, sleep, or function. Much love and gratitude to the physical therapy practice Upper Valley Rehab, where Mickaela was able to put me back in place, work on my muscles, and essentially fix me in two sessions.
Covered Bridges Half Marathon Training Begins
In March I could move pain-free, and was so grateful that I was able to run again. I had been building up my running slowly. The Covered Bridges Half Marathon on the first Sunday in June was my goal. On March 10th, my long run was up to 9 miles and I felt great. One week later, Vermont was in a state of emergency. Schools closed, and my work shuttered its doors while the Covid-19 pandemic took over. I kept running, training for the race I was sure would still happen – June was such a long way off.
We settled into our weird new existence. School took place at home. My partner Michael and I were not working. We gave each other breaks from parenting and being home by taking turns running (me) and cycling (him). Following a training plan gave me some sense of normality and order. It was an anchor when I had no idea what the next day, week, or month would bring.
Pandemic = No Races
I knew before the CBHM staff made the announcement that the race would not take place in June. I had already received refunds from other races I’d signed up for. Runners with races scheduled for late summer and early fall were finding out they were cancelled. That day, I went out and ran my planned speed repeat workout. I decided to keep training for the Covered Bridges Half Marathon. It felt right to keep following my plan, to keep that anchor in place.
Training when I had more time than usual meant logging more weekly miles than I had in a long while. I could really focus on quality workouts. I incorporated lactate threshold runs, practiced cadence pick ups, and fast-finish long runs. It felt good, and I felt like a strong runner. In April, I decided I would still be at the CBHM start line on June 7th. I was determined to run the half marathon course, racing against myself. It gave me a new sense of purpose to my running, with this made-up virtual race on my calendar. I trained, I tapered, and I was ready.
Virtual CBHM Race Day Arrives
I roped in my partner Michael, Fran (my co-parent), and all my kids to be my support crew. This meant they were not thrilled that I was planning on an 8am start for the ‘race’. But they were all ready to go and we set off for the start at Suicide Six that morning. There was one other runner there, warming up near the usual starting line. It seemed so weird to just press start on my watch and run. No gun, no announcements, no crowds of nervous runners.
It was 55 degrees, cloudy and just the ideal running conditions. I went out too fast (I can never seem to shake that mistake). However, I managed to dial it back a bit and settle into my pace. I had given Michael my expected times for landmarks along the way for cheering and crew purposes. At mile 5, I saw a group of runners approaching the 3 mile mark. I realized there was going to be more than a handful of Covered Bridges Half Marathon finishers in 2020.
What’s it Like Racing Without a Race?
I was nervous that running alone with few distractions and no race atmosphere would make it hard to keep focused and maintain the pace I wanted. But I knew what goal pace felt like when I’m fresh, as well as tired, because I had practiced race pace during training. This made me able to self-adjust throughout. And I nailed it. I cruised through the entire 13.1 miles with no real tough parts. Okay, the hill at mile 8 really sucks, but I had been running that hill (and worse) during training to prepare.
Some Surprise Support
I had told Michael I wanted to keep my race plans under wraps. However, he had decided a bit more crowd support would go a long way! From mile 7 onwards I had surprise cheering sections from various friends he had rounded up to keep me motivated. There were friends cheering on the course, some even running with me for a couple of miles. Friends were waiting at the end to congratulate me (I MISS HUGGING!). One creative supporter blasted ‘Eye of the Tiger’ from her car decorated in posters. It was everything I told Michael I didn’t want, yet it turned out to be a wonderful surprise. The support definitely helped me push through, and keep my pace throughout.
The Virtual Results!
I finished in 1:54:29. I took 4 minutes off my time from last year, and it was my second-best time on the CBHM course. My course record was when I had been consistently training for a 1:45 goal for 7 full months. I had also been in the best shape of my life. So my virtual race was a huge win for me.
My crew was waiting for me at the end, with water, snacks, and yes, there was a beer for me! We cheered on the runners who kept appearing in the final stretch over the next hour. It was so cool to see so many people who had the same plan as me! There were probably about a dozen of us who kept it up and ran that course solo. That night, my sweet 5 year old told me the best part of his day was “the party after your race, Mama!”
I know I am privileged to have something like this to use as my focus during the incredibly difficult time. But completing this made me feel strong, accomplished, and proud of my determination. I’m so thankful I live in a place I was able to run easily outdoors during this pandemic. I am also grateful my body was repaired in time for me to run consistently and train hard. Best of all was having a partner supporting me every step of the way, during training AND the race.
My focus now is CBHM 2021. I just hope we are in a non-socially distanced world by then. I am already planning on crushing it. 🙂
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