This year is going to look much different from what I originally planned. Or, at least it might.
This was the original plan I wrote in August, 2020:
- 2021-01-09 Athens Big Fork Trail Marathon
- 2021-03 Three Days of Syllamo
- 2021-05 Arkansas Backyard Ultra Championship
- 2021-10 Arkansas Traveller 100M OR Kansas Rail-to-Trail 100M
- 2022-02 Black Canyon 100K
- 2022-05 Cocodona 250M
Things have changed.
First, my family is living off a very limited income, my wife being out of work and me earning only a small GA stipend; it's hard to justify spending the money on races and travel when I have a family to feed.
Second, the US basically showed little-to-no ability to purposefully come together and prevent the spread of COVID-19, so I have to continue protecting my immuno-compromised child.
Third, graduate work took up a lot of weekends last term, and I suspect something similar next term.
Finally, I don't know where my post-graduation job search might take me. The old plan presumed continued residence in Arkansas.
So, what does my plan look like now?
Yeah... Pretty barren.
I still want to do the Cocodona 250 in 2022 (assuming it happens), and I'd like to get another 100M races or two under my belt before then. But it's hard to say at this point. Doing Cocodona won't be cheap, so it assumes a steady income stream.
But I learned something important about myself in 2020: I just like to run.
That's right. I just enjoy running. I enjoy challenging myself. I enjoy pushing myself to new limits and finding my own strengths and weaknesses. I enjoy accompanying (pacing) friends to complete their own challenges. I don't need races. I don't need official events. I enjoy events, of course, but I'm not inspired because of them. I simply live inspired. Races are just icing.
So, right now, what does 2021 look like for me: relentless forward progress.
In some ways, I feel like 2020 and 2021 are huge losses to me. At 41 years old, though my endurance will continue, my speed will soon face declines. That's just nature. But overall, I just want to continue doing what I do: train, push, develop.
What does 2021 have in store for you?
