Well hello there! It's been a hot minute since I posted but I decided it's time to get this blog back up and running. 2020 was one heck of a year, but one thing's for sure... running was most definitely NOT cancelled! Since the world shut down a little over a year ago I've run 13 virtual races, including 5 half marathons. I had run a handful of virtual races before but I really learned how to dig deep and make it count over the past 12 months. So I thought I'd share a few things I learned while running during a global pandemic.
-Music Can Make All the Difference
Music has always been a driving force behind my steps when I run. I love creating fun, themed playlists for training and races on Spotify. In live races, it's easy to distract yourself with the environment, the other runners, and the excitement of the race. But when you're running a virtual race, those factors don't exist. So music became very important to my success. Every few miles, I switch up my playlists to sort of trick my brain into thinking I'm starting over, instead of being on mile 8 or 11. I also listen to a lot of Disney music to trick myself into believing I'm running through Disney parks.
-Pilates is a Fantastic Way to Cross-Train
Being an educator, when schools first closed down I experienced a lot of stress and anxiety. Running helped with a good chunk of it, but I needed something else to do on the days I didn't run. So I took up Pilates. It started with just a couple times a week but I'm now completing 15-40 minute Pilates workouts every day Monday-Friday. It has helped me improve strength, balance, and flexibility and my running times have gotten faster too. I highly recommend getting on the mat at least every once in a while.
-Documenting Your Progress is a Real Motivator
Documenting your workouts can help you see your growth and improvement. Doing so can take on any number of forms including writing your workouts in a planner, taking photos after each run, keeping a blog of your training, or even journaling about your workouts. I like to use a planner to track everything from distance and pace to the weather and how I felt after each run. I also record all of my Pilates and other cross training workouts. Every once in a while it's nice to read back over what worked and what didn't, see how far I've come, and remember how much I love it all... even though not every workout is a good one.
-The Online Running Community is AMAZING!!!
What else can I say about it? I have made more friends than I could ever count on social media through everything from Facebook running groups to Instagram stories and more. It's truly magical how supportive runners can be to those they've never even met in real life. Plus I love having the opportunity to inspire others through my own running adventures.
What lessons have you learned about running during a pandemic? Have you run any virtual races? I can't wait to get back to in-person races, but I'll forever cherish the lessons I've learned about both myself and running throughout this virtual time. Live simply, run swiftly, and dream big my friends!
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