Tags
2020, bullet journal, covid-19, free-writing, habit tracker, hiking, progress, racing, running, writing
The training looks a bit different for me these days. In the past, I researched and implemented training plans for whatever upcoming race looked interesting for me. Hal Higdon tended to be my go-to for effective (and free!) plans. As I progressed through the plan, I marked off each exercise, each week, building my weekly mileage until race week.
I loved the Pigeon Forge Half Marathon last year. I didn’t train as I ought, and the pain and difficulty of some of the miles reminded me of my laziness. Still, I enjoyed the race and hoped to do it again this year.
Of course, we all know how 2020 has progressed. First for Jay and I personally. Then for the entire world.
The Knoxville Track Club sent out a race registration reminder today for this year’s half, to be held in December. Too many unknowns still dangling out there stand between me and the commitment to racing.
Fatigue forced me to cut back my workouts, limiting me to walking on the treadmill for at least the next few weeks.
Anxiety makes me doubt my ability to enjoy running in a crowd of people.
Uncertainty has me redefining what progress looks like.
So for now, I watch YouTubers hike trail miles via their videos while I log my own miles on the treadmill. I create Bullet Journal spreads to give me a broader sense of the journey, reminding me that every mile counts toward a bigger journey.
No, I did not steal this photo of a dino-themed mileage tracker from a 10 year old boy. What I lack in penmanship and artistic ability, I make up for in sparkly stickers.
I look forward to the day I standing shoulder to shoulder at the start line with fellow runners with no fear of COVID-19. Jay and I actively plan to hike in the Alps when Europe opens its borders to United States citizens.
Until then I remind myself each day that progress is possible, even if it doesn’t look like I thought that it would.
What goal are you making steps of progress towards, despite the Rona insanity that is 2020?
Linking up today with the Five Minute Friday crew, where writers are encouraged to share their free-writing of today’s prompt: Progress.
awkwardly graceful 
Visiting as your FMF neighbor. Good for you. My daughter is a runner (in fact I think she ran in Nashville a couple of years ago). She goes the training route and said it has been hard staying on track while quarantined. Me? I’m a watcher. I get tired just watching her video workouts. Have a blessed weekend. Hope you make it to the Alps!
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I think this year has changed our ideas of progress in a lot of things but I’m glad you’ve found a way to keep making progress in your running. I love the journal – my artistic ability is similar but sparkly stickers make it all ok! 🙂
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Running always seemed so easy to track progress. One day I could go a distance at a certain speed, and some time later I’d be able to go the same distance at a faster speed. Life does not seem that easy to track, but I am certain through Christ I am making progress in many areas. Best to you.
Amie, FMF #25
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Sorry. Couldn’t resist.
My tracking spreadsheet really seemed
so lame, oh God forbid!
So I stole a dino theme
from a little kid.
T. Rex stood with shining teeth
in the honoured spot
where I would write, just beneath
the mileage I had got.
Slavering jaws would chase me down
the trails and city streets,
chase me, yes, from town to town
so that he would not eat
me, like a bag of crispy Fritos
right down to my striped Adidas.
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Stumbled across your blog on BlogLovin! I also love Hal Higdon plans and am the creator of many a messy bullet journal spread. My training has totally fallen off the rails this year. I have a couple of races in November that haven’t (yet) been canceled. We’ll see how that goes. But I definitely need to step up the training. Also, hiking the Alps sounds AMAZING
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Still plenty of time to train for a November race! But yeah, this year has been something else. Hard to be motivated to train when so many races have been cancelled.
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