2020 Year End Review
2020 started optimistically! In December, I joined an online group to train for the 2020 Boston Marathon and was starting to feel better after a disappointing 2019 New York City Marathon. I ran 1:21:32 (8:10 pace) at the 2020 Reston 10 Miler but then, the Boston Marathon was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In mid-April, I ran 26.2 miles anyway and dubbed it the “2020 Runners Run Marathon“.
On a personal note, I returned to my previous job in January, which introduced some stress in my life but was positive overall because I missed the work. Then, in mid-April, I sold the townhouse where I lived for 12 years and moved to my boyfriend’s apartment building, which disrupted my training for a few weeks.
During the summer, I had more flexibility in when I could train because I was teleworking. I focused on going to my local track and getting some speed back. I also bought a bicycle for cross-training. I struggled with swelling in my feet and riding the bike took some pressure off of them. For competition, I participated in the RunWashington Strava Segment Challenge. In the United States, the murder of Ahmaud Arbery rocked the running community and caused many – myself included – to examine “running while black” and racism in the larger culture.
In August, I returned to work one-day-a-week and bike-commuted until the weather became too cold. In the meanwhile, my partner and I started looking for a home to purchase together. At year’s end, I was hopeful again for good things to come in 2021!
Training
Mileage Total: 2,326.5 miles
Days of Running: 306 days (60 days off)
Time Spent Running: ~15 days, 17 hours.
Average Pace: 9:45 pace
Longest Run (Distance): 26.2 miles on April 11, 2020 at the 2020 Runners Run Marathon
Longest Run (Time): 4:38:56 on April 11, 2020 for the ‘2020 Runners Run Marathon”
Racing
Number of Races: 3 in-person, 1 virtual
20K: 2020 DCRRC JFK 20K
10 Miler: 2020 Reston 10 Miler
10K: 2020 New Day New Year 10K
5 Miler (Virtual): 2020 Alexandria (Virtual) Turkey Trot 5 Miler
Personal Records: None.
Runner rankings. “DMV Distance Derby Strava Segment Challenge Replaces Run Washington Runner Rankings for 2020” from RunWashington. With races canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, one local publication replaced its runner rankings with a Strava segment challenge. I “competed” in the following segments:
- Teddy Roosevelt Island (1.4 miles): 10:08 (7:38 pace) on May 12, 2020.
- Custis Climb – Key Bridge to Glebe (3.1 miles): 25:47 (8:47 pace) on October 6, 2020.
- Hains Point (2.5 miles): 20:37 (8:13 pace) on November 26, 2020.
Most Memorable Races
3. 2020 New Day New Year 10K. This race seems like so long ago! I struggled a bit in my first race since the 2019 New York City Marathon but finished in 50:16 (8:04 pace).
2. 2020 DCRRC JFK 20K. It was so cold the day of this race! Even though running 20K was a big leap from doing a 10K two weeks before, I finished in 1:45:49 (8:31 pace).
1. 2020 Reston 10 Miler. This was my first real tune-up race before the 2020 Boston Marathon. After finishing the race in 1:21:32 (8:10 pace), I was optimistic about how the marathon would go. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to find out as the event was postponed (and then ultimately cancelled.)
Most Memorable Training Runs
3. Easy Run in Catharine, New York, July 21, 2020. My partner and I took a vacation to update New York during the summer. Even though I felt uneasy running on country roads, there were some idyllic views.
2. Head Clearing Post-Boston Marathon Postponement Run, March 13, 2020. For many of us Friday, March 13th was the day we realized 2020 would be a different year. That was the day the Boston Marathon officially postponed the 2020 race due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
1. 2020 Runners Run Marathon, April 11, 2020. After the 2020 Boston Marathon was postponed to the fall, I decided to run 26.2 miles anyway. I created a three mile stretch that I could run eight times. Unfortunately, I had to stop and walk a few times but I finished!
My Racing Schedule and Race Reports
Weather
It was a relatively mild year for weather in Washington D.C. However, there were records set for rainfall.
Hottest Run: 88 degrees during an easy run on July 20th while on vacation in the Finger Lakes region of New York.
Coldest Run: 21 degrees during an interval run on January 21st, which I ran early because I had a doctor’s appointment and was starting a new job!
Most Memorable Weather
3. October 29, 2020. Hurricane Zeta. Rain from Hurricane Zeta entered the region overnight and I was in for a wet 5 miles at marathon-pace run.
D.C.-area forecast: Zeta unloads drenching rain today, but weather turns sunny and crisp for Halloween https://t.co/FXJfIvYezq
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) October 29, 2020
2. November 1, 2020. Soaking Rain in Washington, DC. It started out as a pretty good day for a run – 48 degrees and overcast. But, midway through my 10 miler, the skies opened up. When I came off the Mount Vernon Trail to Crystal City, I saw a downed tree!
1. January 18, 2020, 2020 DCRRC JFK 20K. On the morning of this race, there was a thin layer of ice on the ground when I woke up. And when the race started, it was only 28 degrees!
Clothing
Notable Products
3. Neck Warmers (“Buffs“). When I suddenly had to find a way to cover my nose and mouth in public, these became indispensable. Over the years, I’ve bought several buffs for winter running and was able to wear and wash them frequently. However, my favorite neck warmer is actually one that I got from Stridebox.
2. Title 9 Invincible Sports Bra/Anita Momentum Pro Sports Bra. Brooks discontinued the Juno bra so I was on a hunt for another supportive sports bra. (I tried their Rebound Racer in the past and their new Dare Racerback Run Bra but neither of them fit.) I tried this bra despite some questionable reviews and it’s great. It fits well and the fabric is smooth. My only issue with it was the straps. It’s a bit expensive for a sports bra, though. Price: $119
1. New Balance 1080 Fresh Foam. I wouldn’t have thought another shoe could tear me away from my Mizuno Wave Riders but I loved this shoe! As I dealt with swollen feet this summer, the extra cushioning really helped me keep my mileage up. Price: $149.99.
Gear
Notable Products
3. Caterpy No Tie Laces. When I visited my local running store last month, I bought these laces. Getting the laces just right was hard – the nubs keep them from moving at all. However, once I found the tension I liked, my shoes fit snuggly. They also come in lots of colors. Price: $78.
2. Custom Wood Design – Marathon Medal Display. After all these years, I finally purchased a medal rack! I found this model on Etsy and loved its simple design and message. I bought the 30 nobs option and just hung my marathon medals. Price: $59.95.
1. Giant FastRoad SL 3. Like a lot of people, I bought a bike during the COVID-19 pandemic. As I dealt with swelling in my feet over the summer, I sought an aerobic cross-training activity. I also bicycle commuted to work for about a month. Price: $59.95.
Nutrition
Notable Products
3. Clif Bloks Energy Chews. When I re-publishing my 2012 Boston Marathon race report, I remembered that I used to be an energy chew person but switched to gels because they took up less space. This summer, I went back to these chews on some runs. Three squares are 100 calories and 24 grams of carbohydrate.
2. PowerBar PowerGel Original. The consistency of this gel won me over – it goes down like water and was easy on my stomach. The packet is a little larger than a Gu, though. Each gel has 100 calories and 26 grams of carbohydrate.
1. BPI Sports Best Aminos. My Boston Marathon coach suggested supplementing with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). I purchased this brand from the grocery store. One scoop has leucine (2.5 grams), isoleucine (1.25 grams), and valine (1.25 grams). I drank it during “The Golden Hour” after my work-outs hoping for maximum impact.
Routes
Notable Developments
3. Thomas Jefferson Park. For easy runs that ended in strides, I modified my new easy run route so it ended at this park. There’s a synthetic turf field surrounded by grassy areas, and a water fountain so I can re-hydrate.
2. Wakefield High School Track. When I first moved into this neighborhood part of Arlington 12 years ago, I went to this track and it didn’t feel very safe – it was isolated without many lights – but several years ago, it was renovated. The track wasn’t very crowded and it was exactly 2 miles from my new apartment building, which made for a perfect warm-up.
1. Arlington Boulevard Trail. Moving just a few blocks away changed my running routes. I hardly ever ran on this trail from my old townhouse but in my new apartment, I ran it almost every week. This year, there was a series of public meetings on making further changes that might make this route safer.
Favorite Pictures
3. Smithsonian Castle, March 9, 2020. The Smithsonian Castle is easily one of the most picturesque buildings in Washington, DC. On my run home from work, the blooming cherry blossom trees caught my eye and really made the rich color of the building stand out.
2. Tidal Basin by Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, November 8, 2020. After a fractious election year that saw the first Vice President who was a woman – and a person of color, I paid a visit to this memorial on a cloudless winter day. The autumn foliage was a stunning contrast with the blue sky and water.
1. Senate Side of the United States Capitol, September 4, 2020. On my bike commute to work, this red flower bed was the perfect foreground for the sun shining above the U.S. Capitol Building in the distance.
Media & Motivation
Memorable News
3. Sara Hall Chases Down Second Place at 2020 London Marathon, Runner’s World. For the first time in months, we were treated to an elite race! I did not stay up late to watch the women’s race live but woke up early to watch the men’s race and saw a clip of Sara Hall‘s epic finish!
Look at this KICK to the finish! 💥
American Sara Hall chased down Ruth Chepngetich in the final stretch of the women’s #LondonMarathon to pass her and finish 2nd.
2:22:01 is a new PR for the 37-year-old Hall pic.twitter.com/MmsWOQfG2r
— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) October 4, 2020
2. Running Community Virtually Comes Together to Remember Ahmaud Arbery, Runner’s World. When I learned about this incident, I immediately thought about so many incidences of black people having the authorities called on them for doing ordinary things. I also thought about all the questionable things runners do without consequence like jumping fences to get onto golf courses or tracks, slapping cars that almost hit them, and it made me angry whenever I read a comment from a runner defending what happened. But, I also felt incredibly proud that the running community helped his family finally achieve some measure of justice.
1. 2020 Boston Marathon Postponed, Will Be Held on September 14, Runner’s World. According to the article, since its inception in 1897, the Boston Marathon has never been fully canceled. (In 1918, a marathon military relay was run instead.) In July, the race went virtual so I suppose, that fact is still true. Unfortunately, I did not feel confident enough in my running to do the virtual event.
Favorite Movies, Books, and Podcasts
3. Episode 279 – Justin Grunewald, Ali On The Run. I listened to this episode during my run on September 11th. I expected it to be sad because I anticipated most of the discussion would be about the death of his former wife, Gabe Grunewald. But, it was also positive. Because he reminded listeners throughout the interview that Gabe was hopeful. And we should be, too.
2. Skid Row Marathon. This year, I finally got around to watching this documentary that chronicles the relationships between Craig Mitchell, a judge on the Superior Court in California, and former criminals who have lived in Los Angeles’ “Skid Row“. The show follows several members of the Skid Row Running Club as they prepare for marathons in Ghana and Rome. But ultimately, it’s a tale of second chances and redemption.
1. Episode 237 – Powdered Feet (Alison Desir), Pace the Nation. The guest is the founder of Harlem Run. Recently, she penned an article titled, “Ahmaud Arbery and the Whiteness in the Running Community“. She had a frank dialogue with the hosts about how the running community is a reflection of the larger culture (22:30 mark). She quotes a hip-hop artist who said, “White supremacy is not the shark, it’s the water.”
Favorite Songs
3. Don’t Look Back in Anger, Oasis. Despite thinking the band was a bit obnoxious, this song helped me find a faster pace during so many runs this year. The drum line before the final chorus of “And so Sally can wait” gets me moving every time.
2. Cleopatra, The Lumineers. This song led me to think about death during my runs, which ordinarily would probably be a bad thing but as someone who has lived alone for most of her life and dealing with health issues in the past year, it helped me realize that I didn’t want to die alone.
1. Good as Hell, Lizzo feat. Ariana Grande. This song brought a smile to my face many times this year despite all the disheartening news. On several runs I imagined Lizzo asking me, “Baby how you feelin’?” and me responding, “Good as hell!”
JT Running DC
This year, I thought I’d add the top features on this blog (excepting the home page).
3. My 2020 Boston Marathon Training Plan. It came as no surprise that this was a popular post on this site. I think readers were curious to know how I planned to train for this race and what my goals were.
2. Thoughts on the Hudson Plan. Even though I wrote this piece two years ago, it’s consistently the most read post on this site! My best guess why is that it may be the only search result that comes up on the internet on this training plan.
1. Guide to Washington DC Area Running Routes. With 577 views, this was the most popular page/post on this site last year. I put a lot of thought and time into this page so I was happy to see it top the list.
Happy New Year, Everyone!
