Five Years Running

By | January 7, 2022

January 6, 2017 was cold and rainy and I did not relish walking an hour on the treadmill and staring at the shrubs. My gym at the time was sub-basement. I was still chasing steps and needed 10/12K and I wondered what would happen if I just sped the treadmill up a little.

Coffee Time!

Well, what has happened? Sitting down with our hostesses with the mostesses, Coco and Deborah and all of you over coffee to discuss.

Past Anniversary Posts:

    • 2021
    • 3rd raceversary in 2020 just before the world shut down. I was broken in January 2020 and pissed off that I couldn’t run.
    • 2019
    • 2018

Running mileage:

    • 2017: 472.41
    • 2018: 680.91
    • 2019: 862.37
    • 2020: 790.67
    • 2021: 1,147.32

Yes, that bold is absolutely on purpose. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wish for a round number, but I am insanely proud of what a mostly pain free running year looks like, and I accomplished most of my goals. I am so happy to be marking this runversary uninjured, healthy and relatively fine given the state of the world. Very very grateful.

I was very happy despite the weird look on my face

It was fitting that my fifth running anniversary fell on a Thursday, the day of our office run group.  Running really introduced me to people I wouldn’t have met, or gotten to know as well otherwise. Besides all of you, who I adore, I met two of my closest local friends through running: one via Darlene and one through a running Meetup group. Then there were all the wonderful people I met marathon training. The office run group? It came out of our ringleader wearing a Boston Marathon fleece in the office one day and we got to talking. And running. It’s folks who I don’t interact with all that often on work stuff, so it’s nice to get to know them.

Last night’s conversation? That less than three years after I ran/walked .61 miles on the treadmill, I ran a marathon. Sometimes that still doesn’t seem real. It was a fun conversation about running plans and goals. It’s crazy to think that just weeks after my one-year anniversary I ran my first Half, and then immediately signed up for a second. I never got that bug with the marathon distance and doubt I will, but wow — half marathons are just my favorite. Grabbing the marathon jacket wasn’t meant to be celebratory – otherwise I’d have run in the race shirt. It’s just one of those 35 could go either way, I’ll take the windbreaker as a layer and don’t need a hood moments. As I mentioned last year, I still very much feel like both the runner who ran/walked .61 and the one who ran/walked 26.2. And I think that’s totally normal.

I’m still continuing to build back slowly to stay uninjured so I didn’t have any crazy plans for my celebratory miles. Also, dark at 5PM limits the realistic options as I don’t need a souvenir fall. ~5 miles is typical for Thursday evening and I decided to go with 5.5, 1.1 mile for each year of running. Because I’m still not good at drinking or reading my watch on the run (ten year goals?) I ended up at 5.6, so 1.12. An extra hundredth for some good luck?

One of the other takeaways of this journey is that I am not a gym person. Or let me rephrase that, I don’t need a gym. When I found out that the Sheraton where my running journey started was closing to the public, I was so worried about losing the ability to run because I had no idea how I could regularly run without a treadmill, and I didn’t want to stop running. Thanks to the COVID-19 shutdown, I found out I’m not at all a fair weather runner. Do I love the peak of summer or ice cold rain? Not especially, but I’ve been out there two years running. Flexibility to run when it warms up/cools down and after it melts is a wonderful tool.

Looking ahead to my sixth running anniversary. It will be a Friday. I have never run a race this weekend since it’s adjacent to my niece’s birthday and there’s sometimes a party, but maybe I’ll finally do JoeK 10K. 6.2 for six years?

my new baby

Closing on a non running but coffee note I’ll note that my kitchen counter and Keurig got an upgrade from my 2019 one. I loved that and referred to it as my favorite pandemic purchase along with the desktop and instant pot, but when it had an issue and I saw this available for the credit Keurig gave me. I really didn’t need a 72 oz reservoir and since that’s the sum total of my counter space, I was glad to have it back.

16 thoughts on “Five Years Running

  1. Liz Dexter

    It’s been wonderful seeing your running journey and being a small part of it, and lovely that you actually know when your runiversary is, too! Here’s to many more years, and many more strong years!

    Reply
  2. Chocolaterunsjudy

    Congrats on a great 5 years! You have had an amazing journey.

    I have no idea when my runnerversary is. I know when I ran my first 5k, my first half (even my first 10k and first 8 mile races) — but the day I started to run? No idea. A lot of my life is like that. And I don’t even drink, LOL!

    I both am & am not a fair weather runner, but I truly love having a working treadmill back. I don’t have to wear a mask though!

    You have many more great years of running ahead of you. You never know, there could be another marathon someday. 🙂

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      as I said to someone last night while we were running, it’s the benefit of having blogged it. I wouldn’t know it otherwise. I’m grateful to the blog for the poeple, but also chronicling my own journey. Funny in a way because I was never a diary person.

      I’ve always said I think I’m one and done, but I don’t know it. 50K for my 50th, maybe? I didn’t mind marathon training, but I appreciated the time back.

      For sure – if I had a treadmill, I’d be on it on days like Wednesday. Or maybe it would be a longer run, but it’s nice not to need it

      Reply
  3. Jenny

    How cool that you know the exact day you started running! I could figure out the year and season (it was summer) but not the exact day I started. I love hearing how running transformed your life- there’s really nothing else like it.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      It’s kind of funny that you mention that. I always thought it was the 6th – and then one year when I looked at Facebook memories and realized it must have been the 7th because I flew home on the 6th (Fort Lauderdale airport shooting made for a post), but I decided to keep the 6th as my anniversary observed.
      And totally agree. It’s all encompassing in the best way

      Reply
  4. Deborah Brooks

    wow congrats on your 5 year running anniversary! I hope you are proud of the amazing progress you have made in a relatively short time. It has been fun following along these past few years. I have no idea when my first run was! Enjoy your new Keurig!

    Reply
  5. Wendy

    Congrats on your runversary!!! I’ve been running so long, I don’t remember the date but I do know that running changed my life in so many wonderful ways. I’m so grateful for all the people running has brought into my life, including you! You ran so many miles this year–very impressive. My motto is I Can and I Will–you embodied that!

    Now when are we going to meet up?

    Reply
  6. Coco

    Congrats on your runiversary! I’m so glad running brought us together and started our friendship! Your 2021 mileage is amazing. I hope to stay injury-free in 2022, and will sacrifice milage goals for that one. 😉

    Reply
  7. Marcia

    Cheers to 5 amazing years! Running changes everything for the better, don’t you think? I think of 5th grade as the beginning of me as a runner. My older brother had a morning paper route that he seldom got up to do so I’d just run those papers all over town. That went on for years, then I joined middle school track. I did not run my first 5k until 1999 and my first half and full until 2007 but I like to think I’ve always been a runner in some capacity. Love that you kept such close stats! Very impressive! Here’s to many more years and miles!

    Reply
  8. Darlene S Cardillo

    I cannot believe all you have accomplished in 5 short years.

    My first run was April 1, 2008 (I know that because of this blog). My first half was 1/16/2011 and my first marathon was 11/4/2019.

    My goal will always be to stay injury free- 2021 may have been the first year where nothing ever ached. No skipped runs. I am proud of my 1000 pain-free miles.

    The best part of being a runner is the places it has taken me and more importantly the people that I have met becuse of it. (YOU among others!!)

    Reply
  9. Zenaida Arroyo

    I have no idea the day I started running. I do know it was in 2005. Congrats on 5 years of running! You did great last year with your mileage. I am happy to follow along on your running and non running adventures. Shall we meet this year?

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Yes. This was my first mostly pain free year and I think that was more exciting than the mileage.

      Reply

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