I am excited to share my 2020 racing calendar with you, along with a bit about how this year’s running will look different than the last couple years. As I near the age of 40, I have had to accept that my body does not recover from hard workouts and racing the way it once did. I have been pounding the pavement pretty hard, running many races since my 18 month hiatus in 2016-2017. Going into 2018, I had only completed 4 marathons, spread out over 10 years, though the last 3 were in a 10-month span. Heading into 2020, I have now completed 10 marathons and one 50K. There have also been some half marathons and shorter distances in the mix, but I have mainly focused on endurance events. This year, I am looking to do more trail running and fewer long races. While I still have my goal of completing a marathon in all 50 states, I recognize that seeking to complete it by the age of 50 is really quite arbitrary. I will continue to run marathons as long as my body lets me, which might not be long if I try to cram in too many every year!
This change in plans was not easy on my Type A, perfectionist tendencies. I was quite stuck on the idea of getting in 50 marathons by the age of 50, but the more I thought about it, the more I wondered what my life would be like between now and when I achieved that goal. I did not want the goal to be all-consuming, at the expense of time with my family and friends. It seems unfair for me to expect all of our trips or vacations to be “racecations.” Our interests and our pocketbook might like something different or smaller scale once in a while! I have not come to this perspective easily. My achievement-oriented personality has caused a great deal of stress on my mind and my body at times, so I am working on being more in-the-moment and going with the flow. I am definitely not there yet (ask my husband), but it’s a journey, right?
All that to say, I am planning on just two marathons this year, along with several trail races and one 14 miler. My family recently moved to a new town, which happens to be closer to the Kettle Moraine area of Wisconsin, so I have been taking advantage of running on the trails more often. I enjoy being in the woods and feeling the softness of the dirt, leaves, and pine needles. There are, of course, some occasional rocks or roots that can challenge my clumsiness, but so far no big falls! As for the marathon, I will be checking Tennessee and Missouri off of my list. Here is my race schedule for this year:
April 25th- Rock ‘n Roll Marathon-Nashville
May 16th- Golden Kettle Trail Series-Scuppernong
June 6th- Fort 14
June 20th- Golden Kettle Trail Series-Nordic
August 15th- Golden Kettle Trail Series-McMiller
October 3rd- Golden Kettle Trail Series-Oleson Cabin
November 1st- Bass Pro Conservation Marathon
Thanks for reading and I hope to see you out on the trails!
Redefined Runner 