Another email about how I (we) feel about this virus and an announcement about Bockfest 5k going virtual reminded me to actually sign up for the Beer Series and maintain my Braumeister status. Every race, every year since it’s inception.
While I was in Race Roster, I clicked “claim” on my 2020 Flying Pig Marathon Deferral. Since that seemed to have no effect but to remove that from the screen, I decided to go “all in” and do it. I’m signed up for four races this year. One is guaranteed to be virtual and I can’t say I’d be shocked if the other three are.
After the pandemic started and the FPM announced that they were moving to the fall, I deferred my 2020 FPM to another year. In my ‘high’ of signing up for races, I did it… I clicked register, filled out the web form, and used my deferral code. I doubt I can’t defer again, and honestly even if I can I shouldn’t unless I end up injured (at this point, not wanting to do a virtual marathon and deferring a second time because of that is a douche move, this pandemic is going to be around for a while).
Last year was an interesting race year. It started normal, which is to say “nothing was weird before the season actually began”. The writing was on the wall in late February on the Bockfest 5k day (also the US Marathon Trials day). Over the course of the year, the remaining two Beer Series races went virtual, and hte NKU XC Series and the Honor Run Half Marathon were cancelled. The Queen Bee Half and 4 Mile went virtual, which I don’t run but usually volunteer with. With the one exception of the Bulldog Blast 5k, the racing season stunk.
Given the cancellations, I had a long gap between everything. I spent a lot of time doing speedwork, which I reduced in December due to stress (season + work + everything else). The Bulldog Blast was in August. The virtual races for the Hudy 14k and the 50 West Mile were in September. I didn’t do so well in the 50 West Mile. I didn’t do a standalone mile, so my 7:20 wasn’t as good as it could have been compared to my 2019 PR of 6:32. I treated the Hudy 14k like a race, though. Besides the obvious lack of crowds, the only real difference was that I carried some fluids with me and that there was no actual start or finish line. My PR for that race was 2018 and was a 1:04:51. I ran 1:05:20. Not bad given the circumstances, and it beat 2019’s race of 1:06:24 in some serious heat.
By the time November hit, I was itching to do something. After looking into a few virtual options and not feeling really enthusiastic about any of them, I decided to just run my own Turkey Day 10k. I probably should have registered for the hot mess that is the Western & Southern Cincinnati Turkey Day 10k, but being at the right place (my computer) at the right time (when I remembered to look into it) never happened. I ended up running a PR at 49:01. I don’t run many 10ks (it seems there are few standalone 10ks or 5k/10ks in the area, and it seems there is a push to offer a 5k and half marathon).
I typed all of the above to basically say I’m ready. I know that I might be circling Batavia Township Park and the subdivision next to it for 26.2 miles (I’ve done 20, I can do this). I might be putting on a vest for the Flying Pig Marathon. Or March might fix everything (one can hope, right).
So on the day I’m writing this (Sunday), I did my first race in the training plan. This week has a lot – 6 days of running, hill repeats, and an M pace workout (and I have no clue what I’m going to use as M pace). Next week has a tempo run – something I’m no stranger to.