2020 Wrap-Up

Kissing 2020 Goodbye!

My goals for 2020 were not very concrete.  I hoped to be more kind to myself and others, to strive for better balance as a son, husband, father, race director, optometrist, and citizen in my community.  I have definitely served the community from a work capacity, but there was no balance in 2020 thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.  When the pandemic hit in March, I basically stopped running for > 2-mths due to the stress and long hours as Medical Director.  Running seems trivial when the fabric of the world seemed to be unraveling.

1,394 was the total mileage, but that doesn't tell the entire story.

Lifetime totals:

2002: 651
2003: 2,213
2004: 2,506
2005: 2,667
2006: 3,124
2007: 2,759
2008: 2,812
2009: 3,353
2010: 3,056
2011: 4,523
2012: 2,718
2013: 2,180
2014: 2,375
2015: 2,205
2016: 2,101
2017: 2,507
2018: 2,436
2019: 2,210

2020: 1,394

Total: 47,790 Miles

The highlight of the year:  Turning 40 and celebrating with a solo Highlands Sky 40M

Nearly all my mileage in 2020 was alone and shorter runs -- virtually all on trail and with at least a 1,000' of vertical.  It's notable that I ran 700 miles less than 2019, yet 13K more elevation gain in 2020.  I learned that I need races to be motivated to train with higher mileage, but that I need running to balance out life and the stresses involved.  It is disappointing to have broken the streak of 2,000 mileage years, but such is life.  All streaks come to and end.  I am emerging from 2020 with a healthier relationship with running, family, work, etc.  I have limited goals for the new year, but I am full of hope, resilience, confidence, and resolve.  Onward to 2021!  One foot in front of the other . . .  Only 2,210 miles to 50,000.