2021 Year End Review
2021 was another year of injury and illness.
The year started off well and I was running 40-50 miles/week as I tried to stay in marathon shape. But, in February, I fell and broke two fingers and skinned my knee! It was difficult running with my hand in a splint so I took some time off. I allowed myself the break because so many things were happening in my personal life – a new home purchase and a new dog!
I steadily increased my mileage in March and April. Then in May, I started training for the 2021 London Marathon (as part of the inaugural Wanda Age Group Championship). It was also the week I got my second Pfizer vaccine, so I felt like life was returning to some normalcy. But, it was difficult training in the summer and I skipped a lot of strength workouts like threshold runs.
In July, I turned 50 and became a grand-master! I also returned to racing via the Roosevelt Island Parkrun.
On August 29, I ran the South Lakes 10K. A few days later, I got a positive test result for COVID-19! (I did not catch the virus at the race.) I only took a week off of running but due to travel restrictions to the U.K., I decided not to travel. In October, I ran the 2021 Boston Marathon instead – about a month after recovering from COVID! It was a great weekend, but I did not re-qualify for next year’s race.
For the rest of the year, I ran 20-30 miles a week focusing on speed workouts in an attempt to get my speed back in 2022.
Training
Mileage Total: 2,191.0 miles
Days of Running: 286 days (79 days off)
Time Spent Running: ~14 days, 21 hours.
Average Pace: 9:47 pace
Longest Run (Distance): 26.2 miles on October 11, 2021 for the 2021 Boston Marathon.
Longest Run (Time): 4:12:15 on October 11, 2021 for the 2021 Boston Marathon.
Racing
Number of Races: 4 in-person
Marathon: 2021 Boston Marathon
10K: 2021 South Lakes 10K
5 Miler: 2021 Alexandria Turkey Trot
5K: 2021 Roosevelt Island Parkrun #178
Personal Records: None.
Runner rankings.
Potomac River Running’s Regional Runner Rankings – Fall 2021. returned in the fall but I missed the list. During the year, I participated in the RunWashington’s DMV Distance Derby. My best times were:
- Teddy Roosevelt Island (1.4 miles): 10:08 (7:38 pace) on May 12, 2020. 22nd overall, 3rd woman.
- 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. 2021 Roosevelt Island Parkrun #178. It was strange being around runners.
My last in-person race was the 2020 Reston 10 Miler. Shortly thereafter, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and the 2020 Boston Marathon., the race that I was training for, was canceled. I held out hope that the 2020 London Marathon and inaugural Wanda Age Group World Championship would happen, but it was an elites only event.
Early this year, a vaccine was developed for the COVID-19 virus and it seemed racing would return – both the Boston and London marathons would take place in October 2021, so I started marathon training again in mid-May, the week I received my second Pfizer shot.
Summer in the Washington, D.C. area is hot and humid, so it was not the ideal time for marathon training. However, my training has been fairly consistent with a 16 to 22 mile long run on Sundays, speed work on Tuesdays, and a medium run on Thursday. If there has been any weakness, it’s been a lack of threshold and marathon-pace miles due to intemperate conditions.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been wavering over whether I wanted to run the 2021 London Marathon given COVID-19 protocols for international travel, and money. After today, if I can make the money work, I want to run it. I deserve it.
Two years after a disappointing 2019 New York City Marathon and being treated for critically high blood pressure; eight months after a terrible fall that broke two fingers and banged up my knee; and one month after recovering from COVID-19, I toed the starting line of the 2021 Boston Marathon!
The temperature was a little warm for a marathon – low 60 degrees at the start rising to almost 70 by the finish – but it was a gorgeous day to be in Boston for the return to major running events in the United States!
I went into the race wanting to requalify for next year’s event with a sub-3:55 (8:59 pace). I ran aggressively through the half in 1:54:00 (8:43 pace) but knew I couldn’t keep the pace up through the Newton hills and decided just to finish the race.
My time was 4:12:15 (9:38 pace).
Most Memorable Training Runs
3. The Event, January 6, 2021. I ran by people going downtown to protest. I could feel the tension every time I passed a group walking on the Mount Vernon Trail on their way downtown.
2. The Second Fall, December 12, 2021. I fell again. This time, it was relatively minor – I just skinned my elbow and knee a little bit.
1. Broken Fingers Run, February 13, 2021.
On Saturday, I tripped on the remnants of a road sign that had been taken down. On impact, I felt the ring finger on my left hand bend in a bad direction. Sitting up, I took my glove and mitten off and was relieved to see my fingers were straight. The hole in my new tights revealed a bloodied right knee. After returning home, my boyfriend convinced me to take an emegency trip to the orthopedist after the pain and swelling in my fingers wouldn’t relent after icing and ibuprofen. On the drive over, my middle finger also started swelling. After taking x-rays, the doctor diagnosed “avulsion injuries to the middle phalanx of the third and fourth digits of the left hand” aka two fractured fingers. I left with my hand in a split and an appointment to follow-up in two weeks.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
My Racing Schedule and Race Reports
Weather
It was a relatively mild year for weather in Washington D.C. However, it was one of the top 10 hottest years – “[t]he city also experienced 48 days registering at least 90 degrees.”
Here were my hottest and coldest runs based on the temperature at the start:
Hottest Run: 81 degrees during an easy run on August 13th.
Coldest Run: 24 degrees during an interval run on January 29th.
Most Memorable Weather
3. July 4, 2021. Heat! After my run, I sat under our sprinklers.
2. January 31, 2021. Snow! 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. February 13, 2021. Ice Storm. I didn’t slip but it was still memorable weather because I ended up breaking two fingers and skinning my knee.
Clothing
Notable Products
3. 2021 Boston Marathon Celebration Jacket. 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. Asics Gel Nimbus Lite 2. When I started running regularly again in May, I went online to buy a new pair of Mizuno Wave Rider 24s but I didn’t like the color options. Instead, I went to my local running store and picked up a pair of these shoes. They feel good on my feet for short to medium distance runs but I’m not sure they have enough cushioning for longer runs. Price: $150
1. Rabbit Hopper 4″ Short. I tried these on a few weeks ago and then went back. I like the Oiselle Roga Shorts but my skin is so chafed at the waistband that I need to find another brand. The fabric is light and would have been perfect for summer. The 4″ inseam is perfect for me. With shorts, it’s all about pockets and this short has one rear and two small front. While I’m size small in most shorts, I was medium for these. Price: $54.
Gear
Notable Products
3. BeeCause Shoe Charms. For my birthday, a friend gave me some London-themed shoe charms. I put them on my shoes before the Roosevelt Island DC Parkrun for added inspiration. Price: $5.
2. Garmin Quick Release 20 MM Band. The clasp on my Garmin 645 Music tore this week and I bought a replacement band on Amazon. (I figured shipping would be quicker.) Switching out the band was simple – I hadn’t noticed the small pin on the band that snaps it out of place. I could have been changing my bands all along! There are three pieces in the package in case someone wants a longer or shorter band. Price: $29.99.
1. End of Stridebox. This month’s box didn’t have a theme but it contained Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars, Nature’s Garden Trail Mix Snack Pack, Gu Energy Drink Tabs, Hammer Endurolytes Fizz, 2Toms Sport Shield Anti-Chafe Towelette, and a collapsible silicone cup.
Nutrition
Notable Products
Without Limits Runners Essentials Long Run Recovery. I felt so depleted after Sunday’s long run that I tried this recovery drink that I got from a Stridebox. The flavor was birthday cake. “Does anyone want to drink cake?” The drink was actually very tasty – especially with a few ice cubes. Each packet has 270 calories, 47 grams of carbohydrate, 14 grams of protein, and is fat-free. It also has 5 grams of a BCAA blend and 1.5 grams of amino acids.
Routes
Notable Developments
3. Art. Back in June, I noticed these art pieces in Rosslyn at the end of the Mount Vernon Trail. They were installed by the Business Improvement District and really brighten up the area. I couldn’t find an artist to credit for the work, though.
2. Mount Vernon Trail. In early December, work on the Memorial Bridge was completed but it took a while for the staging area on the Mount Vernon Trail to be taken down. It’ll be nice to have an unobstructed view of downtown again.
1. Parks. Gateway Park. Over the years, I’ve suspected that there was a water fountain in this park on the north end of Rosslyn just across the bridge from Washington, D.C. Last week, I went exploring and found them and saw that there were restrooms, as well! On Thursday, I checked out the bathrooms and… they weren’t bad! The stalls were relatively clean and there was an ample supply of toilet paper. This is a game changer.
Favorite Pictures
3. 2021 Boston Marathon Shake-out Run – Swans, October 11, 2021. A podcast I listened to talked about how Boston might look different in the fall. The lighting and color made this a beautiful scene.
2. Lincoln Memorial and Flowers, September 26, 2021. This view in the fall is just lovely.
1. Boat on Potomac River, August 19, 2021. Sometimes, you arrive at a location just in time to take a perfect shot.
Media & Motivation
Memorable News
3. “Ahmaud Arbery Went Out for a Jog and Was Gunned Down In the Street“, Runner’s World. This article won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing. I’m not sure I read this article last summer, but reading it now, I thought it did a wonderful job of covering Arbery’s life and not just his murder.
2. “Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir Is the 2021 Women’s Olympic Marathon Champion,” Runner’s World. What a great race?! As someone who has struggled with summer training runs, I can’t imagine trying to turn in the performance of my life in those conditions. Of course, for Americans, Molly Seidel‘s bronze medal performance was celebrated widely.
1. “Eliud Kipchoge Repeats as the Men’s Olympic Marathon Champion,” Runner’s World. What a dominant performance – beating the silver medalist by 1 minute, 20 seconds. After repeating as gold medalist in the Olympics and breaking 2 hours in the marathon distance, in my mind, he’s the greatest male marathoner of all time or as the kids say, “The Goat“.
Favorite Movies, Books, and Podcasts
3. “Episode 168: Alison Desir,” The Morning Shakeout. Last summer, I was introduced to Alison Desir and looked forward to hearing more from her. My favorite part of this interview was when she talked about founding Harlem Run (41:30 mark). She was so inspiring that I contemplated starting a running club in my neighborhood!
the morning shakeout podcast · Episode 168 | Alison Desir
2. “Episode 420: Live with Molly Seidel, Olympic Bronze Medalist,” Ali on the Run. What a fun interview! Molly’s excitement from winning the bronze medal at the 2020/2021 Summer Olympic marathon was infectious. I particularly enjoyed the part where she relayed the physical and verbal intimidation that happened during the race (51:35 mark).
Ali on the Run Show · 420. LIVE with Molly Seidel, Olympic Bronze Medalist
1. “Episode 424: Dave McGillivray, Boston Marathon Race Director,” Ali on the Run. Most of the episode centered on how the race director would keep people safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. To that point, one of my favorite moments was at the end when he described himself as a caretaker of the race. But, his tips on juggling and a busy life stayed with me long after listening.
Ali on the Run Show · 424. Dave McGillivray, Boston Marathon Race Director
Favorite Songs
3. Don’t Start Now, Dua Lipa. I liked the beat of this song for running, but it wasn’t motivational enough for my racing playlists.
2. Blinding Lights, The Weeknd. I hadn’t known this was a song by The Weeknd until the 2021 Superbowl. It remained on my playlist for the whole year.
1. Harmony Hall, Vampire Weekend. I heard this song at the end of a Ted Lasso episode and listened to it obsessively ever after.
JT Running DC
These were the top page and post views on my blog this year (except for the home page).
3. Guide to the New York City Marathon. I didn’t run the New York City Marathon this year, so it was surprising that this page’s appearance was in the Top 3 for the site because I didn’t promote it. It still got 186 views this year.
2. Thoughts on the Hudson Plan. I wrote this piece three years ago, and it’s consistently the most-read post on this site! With 276 views in 2021, I still think this post from 2016 must be the only search result Google returns on the Hudson plan.
1. Guide to Washington DC Area Running Routes. With 753 views (up from 577 views last year), this was the most popular page/post on this site last year! I spent a lot of time on this page and am glad other people find it helpful.
Thank you for reading, and here’s to more running adventures in 2022!
