2021 got progressively better as the year went on and ended on a high unlike any other. I ran the most miles I have ever in a year; set a new PR in the 10K, 12K, and marathon this year; and won one race.
The highlight of my year was finally running my sub-3 hour marathon at CIM, but there were a lot of other highlights too.
A look at my running stats from 2021:
Total miles: 3095 miles
Number of days I ran: 302 days
Average daily miles: 10.2 miles (based off 302 active days)
Average weekly miles: 63 miles (based off 49 weeks because I took 3 total weeks off)
Highest weekly mileage: 100 miles
Longest run: 24 mile training run + 26.2 mile race (x2)
States I ran in: Alaska, Minnesota, California
Races I ran: 6 races
5/1/21 – Cabin Fever Reliever 5K (Anchorage, AK) – 18:47
5/29/21 – Trent/Waldron 10K (Anchorage, AK) – 39:11 (PR)
6/3/21 – Twilight 12K (Anchorage, AK) – 47:12 (PR)
7/18/21 – Skinny Raven Half (Anchorage, AK) – 1:27:38
8/22/21 – Humpy’s Marathon (Anchorage, AK) – 3:01:14
12/5/21 – California International Marathon (Sacramento, CA) – 2:58:24 (PR)
PRs: 10K, 12K, and marathon
Top places (for the women): 1st at Cabin Fever Reliever, 3rd at Trent/Waldron 10K, 2nd at Skinny Raven Half, 2nd at Humpy’s Marathon
Favorite race: California International Marathon (CIM)
Biggest high: finally running a sub-3 hour marathon at CIM after trying for 8 years
Biggest low: Fortunately, I didn’t have many lows this year. I definitely had some workouts that didn’t go well and a few days of small niggles that caused me to miss a few workouts, but I really can’t complain. For the most part, I had a solid year of training, and I am forever grateful.
Hardest workout: Often times the hardest workouts were the ones where I had to battle the elements outdoors (cold, wind, heat, rain, etc.), or ones where I didn’t feel the best whether it was from low iron or sluggish from not sleeping enough. A few workouts that stand out to me are: a 17 mile treadmill workout with 2 x (30 minutes @ 6:40 min/mi pace, 5 minutes @ 6:20 min/mi) and a 24 mile run in 6*F temps.
Favorite memory: nailing early morning workouts in the summer or workouts on the treadmill in the dead of winter
Coldest run: -12*F in November
Hottest run: 93*F in June in Minnesota
2022 is going to be hard to top, but I’m fired up to keep training and trying to raise the bar. . .maybe I’ll go after a sub-2:55 in the marathon and try for a new half marathon PR!
