Year in Running 2020

2020 was a year like no other. Somehow, amidst the chaos of the world, this was my best running year in a long time. (That’s not saying much, after years of injuries, pregnancy, and postpartum running.) There’s something to be said for the no pressure approach to running. Also, working from home and not having to commute to work helps too! Let’s look at my year in running for 2020.

2020 Stats

Obviously the year isn’t quite over yet, but let’s look at some running stats so far.

• Miles run (as of 12/15/20): 1,331.6 miles
• Races (all virtual): 12
• Pairs of shoes: 8
• Average pace: 9:23/mile
• Average distance/week: 33.7 miles
• Total elevation: 54,623 feet
• (Bonus) Bottles of wine to get through 2020: 4,236

Best Race

I didn’t have any in-person races this year. The only race I was signed up for at the beginning of the year was a May half-marathon. It was postponed until September and then went virtual.

In the spring I signed up for the Rambing Runner’s Race Series which included a 5k, 10k, and Half-Marathon. (There was also a full which I didn’t do.). I would say my best race of the year was the virtual half I ran in April as part of this series.

I ran 1 second faster than my PR, despite doing just about everything wrong. Even though I didn’t put in a full training cycle for a half this turned out well and made me hopeful for how I would do once real races are a thing again.

Just for fun, here are the virtual races I did:

• Rambling Runner 5k
• Rambling Runner 10k
• Rambling Runner Half (unofficial PR)
• Live Give Run 5k (unofficial PR)
• UniverSole 10k (unofficial PR)
• Global Running Day 5k
• Run Happy Family Virtual Stroller Race (Summer)
• Frederick Half-Marathon
• MCM 10k
• Run Happy Family Virtual Stroller Race (Fall)
• Gobble Gobble Turkey Trot 10 Miler
• Run and Give Back 5k

I did that based on memory so who knows if I forgot something! That’s alot more races that I usually do in a year!

I also did the “Race Across Maryland” over the summer. The goal was to run 250 miles in 60 days. I started by including walking miles, but ended up reaching my goal (and beyond) with just running miles. It was a great way to stay motivated with runs and walks this summer!

Best Run

I really can’t pick one! It’s like the runs that you don’t remember are usually the better ones, right? Like if it doesn’t stand out as hard, hot/humid, cold/windy or a mental struggle then it was probably a good run.

I had alot of good runs this year, which I am very grateful for. I definitely appreciated my solo miles outside because I didn’t get much alone time this year!

Best Piece of Gear

I was so lucky to get to try a lot of Brooks gear this year. I loved all of it! I was surprised to fall in love with the Glycerin 18s, which are a cushioned running shoe. I wasn’t really running in shoes with much cushion before but these were just so comfortable.

I also ended up switching from the Pure Flows to the Hyperion Tempos for my faster runs. The newer versions of the Pure Flows weren’t really working for me anymore. The Hyperion Tempos are so light, I barely feel like I have anything on my feet!

Best Running Advice

I heard alot of great running advice this year but none of it really stuck with me. I’ve just been doing what works for me, and making adjustments as needed. I did get alot of great advice from Mary in regards to strength training.

One things that stood out recently was a quote that coworker shared that can apply to life or running: “Where you are now is not where you will always be”. I think that’s so important to remember, especially this year. When things are not going well, remember that they can get better. And when things are going great, enjoy it, because it won’t last forever.

Most Inspirational Running

I’m going to cheat on this and pick a few people for different reasons.

The first is Des Linden, who runs for Brooks. I followed her more closely this year and was especially impressed by her run streak in October. She ran the day of the month in miles every day. Talk about an ambitious goal to have when races are cancelled!

Another is Sara Hall. She ran the London Marathon which was for elites only and got 2nd place. Did you know that the route was a loop that was just over mile, so they had to run it 20+ times? Hearing her talk about her experience on some podcasts really helped me to see how challenging that race was and how much she pushed for a strong finish!

Back in the spring we all watched the marathon trials before the world fell apart, and were introduced to Molly Seidel who placed 2nd. It was her first time running a marathon, EVER! I’ve been following her on Instagram and she cracks me up. Recently she dressed up as a turkey and tried to run the FKT (fastest known turkey) time.

Summary of Year

Well no one really needs a summary of 2020. But my running in 2020 was pretty great! I took on random challenges throughout the year, I ran just for fun, I backed off when I needed to, but I also pushed hard when I wanted a good challenge.

This year was all about staying connected. Blogging and instagram allowed me to do that with the running community. Some runners I’ve known online for up to 7 years or so, others I just met this year. The online running community in general is so supportive and fun.

There were also alot of stroller miles this year. Early this year I was not running with the stroller as much. Grayson would get fussy in there and it became frustrating for me. But I realized that if I wanted to run more during the quarantine that I would need to figure out a way to do more stroller runs. The more I ran with him, the better it got. I kind of wish I had tracked how many stroller miles I ran this year!

Favorite Picture

I couldn’t pick just one, so I made a little gallery with some of my favorites from this year!

2020 may have been a challenging year, but there were many good things that happened too. I’m choosing to focus on those, while hoping that 2021 brings more positive experiences and maybe even some lives races!

You may also like:
My Year of Postpartum Running in 2019
Year of Running 2017
Year of Running 2016
Year Of Running 2014

• How was your year in running for 2020?
• What was your biggest accomplishment this year?
• Did you find that it was helpful in some ways to not have as many races this year?

Now it’s time for the Runners’ Roundup! Link up your running and fitness posts below! Join myself, Coach Debbie Runs, Confessions of a Mother Runner, Runs with Pugs , and Laura Norris Running to post your favorite running tips, experiences, race and training recaps, workouts, gear, and coaching ideas.