1000 Miles

April 11, 2021 Fun Nature Running

Despite the pandemic, wildfire smoke and hot/cold weather, I ran consistently from April 2020 through March 2021 and managed to total more than 1000 miles!

Due to the pandemic I mostly avoided popular locations and narrow trails where it would be hard to maintain distance from others. I also ran earlier in the morning or later in the day/evening. I took bigger streets which I would normally avoid. Busy streets are usually noisy, have more pollution and cars can present a safety issue. But with the pandemic and shelter in place, cars were not a problem (for a while).

Staying mostly at home, including to work, saved some time which I put into longer runs and walks – as a built-in part of my weekly schedule. I would challenge myself to be productive at work so I could finish up and hit the road 60 to 90 minutes before sundown.

The last few months were really a slog – with my legs feeling worn out and my speed and enthusiasm gradually decreasing. It wasn’t much fun and I had to force myself to get out there. Getting involved in the virtual Tahoe to Malibu Challenge helped keep me on track.

Why run? Why so far? I previously reflected on A Year of Running. One reason I like running is the chance to see animals – mostly birds, but also neighborhood characters like skunks, and even the occasional fox. Another reason is because I can – I am grateful for my health and having the time to pursue this hobby. During this past year in particular, running helped me to take a moment away to clear my head.

Here are some notes by month:

March 2021 (106 miles): finish strong – three 10 mile runs in the final week; pace slowed a bit more
February 2021 (80 miles): short month – managed to keep it going; mostly the same local runs
January 2021 (80 miles): trying to keep it steady; times slowing a bit more

early morning run — up before the sun kind of run selfie

December 2020 (80 miles): didn’t lose any time due to holiday travel since we stayed at home
November 2020 (81 miles): took some time to go farther from home – Rancho San Antonio preserve and the Alviso Guadalupe River trail.
October 2020 (85 miles): brought the mileage back up, averaging 9+ miles per run; times a little bit slower
September 2020 (63 miles): quite similar to August

August 2020 (62 miles): many 10 mile runs; mileage down due to bad air from historic wildfires
July 2020 (101 miles): fewer runs, longer average; attacked by Terns (shorebirds) swooping madly quite close to my head; stretch run 20 miles (with fits of “what is the point again?” walking towards the end)