2024 Year in Review
Running is my form of escape. It’s the only thing I have been able to focus on without stimulus. Without distraction. It is my distraction. Running allows the whirlwind that a year can become to fall to the side for just a moment. A year in review is such an important idea to focus on throughout the year. Not just at the conclusion. I want to remember my year in running by a collection of memories that shows my consistency and celebrates that consistency through a few special mornings.
What remained true for me this year was the joy of the every-day. I find the most enjoyment in the daily grind that running can become. The early mornings, sometimes early evenings to promote early mornings, the mundane and the rhythm that allows my body to move on the days I ask it to. For the first time in my life, I’ve found a process that I love more than the result. Races are such an amazing experience. I’m not here to say that running the New York City marathon or Chicago marathon wasn’t a dream come true. But those days ultimately ended with the question of ‘when do I get to run next?’. That’s what makes me so excited about the sport of running. I get to dedicate myself to a craft. Throughout the year, I wanted to break it up into a few moments that I will remember most.
Austin, Texas. My first trip to Texas was also my first time (and last time) sharing a hotel room with our son. Grier was just 6 months old and such an amazing traveler. It was our first plane ride together with him, our first major weekend away from home, and one that we’ll likely look back on and laugh more than cry. It was February so temperatures were freezing. It was my first chance to race in 2024.
Fisher Farm. If you see a grassroots race, sign up for it. In my town of Davidson, Fisher Farm holds miles of single-track trails for runners and riders alike. I entered the Somewhat Legendary 25k on a few day’s notice. It rained all week leading up to the race so I know conditions would be sloppy but the show must go on. The Davidson Area Running Team organized this race to benefit the local trail system. It was a slopfest but I came out with a victory! They gave me a t-shirt, a few silver dollar pancakes, and said beat it after I scarfed them down. The best $29.56 I spent this year.
Charlotte, NC. I followed up the Austin Half with Charlotte Racefest in April. Feverish and experiencing flu-like symptoms, I toed the line anyway. This was not a Jordan flu-game situation but I was proud to finish the race even when ideal conditions were nowhere to be found. On the flipside, I prolonged my symptoms by racing so the lesson here is to put running on the backburner when you’re sick.
Between April and September, I had nothing on the calendar. I knew I had a busy fall so training was in order, but I wanted to save the race efforts for the latter half of the year. I felt mixed emotions about running over the summer. I rode my bike more than I anticipated as running became a chore throughout July and August. Running just enough to keep my fitness and nothing more, I scraped into the late summer ready to dial my training back in and prepare for marathon season. If you hate running in the heat and humidity, so do I. But it's good for me. And I will continue to do it against my own better judgment. The bricks that you lay in the summer are so invaluable for what you want to achieve when it finally cools off. I did feel like I had to beat myself over the head with this thinking, but I kept my eyes on my autumnal prize.
Davidson, NC. At the conclusion of the summer, I planned a tune-up race in Davidson to get experience race-condition miles again. I love this race for many reasons, the main one being my bed and its proximity to the starting line. The Run for Green supports a wonderful cause in the Davidson Land Conservancy and pours money right back into the greenway system I run most days at home. The half-marathon was a great chance to go through the race-day routine without taxing my body too hard for the upcoming weeks. I got a little overzealous with my pacing but it gave me a sense of confidence that my training over the past summer months was about to pay off. I can’t wait to watch Grier dominate this 5k in the near future.
Chicago, IL. If you read the blog about the Chicago Marathon, thank you. October 13th was my first chance to experience a world major marathon and it was everything I hoped it would be. The marathon didn’t end the way I had hoped, but I took so many things away from the day and I knew I would be back to redeem myself in South Chicago. This whole weekend was surreal, from the scale of the event to the zeal and enthusiasm that Chicago provided runners and spectators. As painful as the final miles were, I was able to convince myself that I loved that feeling and I couldn’t wait to do it again. This time, in just three weeks.
New York, NY 21 days later I toed the line in Staten Island to take on my second world major marathon. I felt more relaxed and less anxious for the start of this race because of what I had accomplished in Chicago. Surrounded by a couple million people cheering, New York celebrated its runners. A thought I’ll never forget was turning right in front of Columbus circle with about 800 meters to go, I couldn’t decide if I wanted the race to end or go on forever. I was left at a crossroad, filled with gratitude for the opportunity and soreness beyond belief. Vividly, I remember the zombie walk from the finish to the edge of central park where thousands of runners waddled to see their families in vibrant orange ponchos. Everything about November 3rd lived up to the hype. The race was as gritty as each of its boroughs. My body felt resilient and made it through the 26.2 miles unscathed (relatively, of course).
Charlotte, NC. Last, but not least, I took on the Charlotte marathon after deferring the race in 2023. This was my third marathon in 34 days. Not exactly how I envisioned things at the start of the year. This race was strictly business. An athlete I was coaching set out to finish under the 4-hour mark (about a 9:09 mile) so I had the honor of pacing him throughout the race. His intentions were clear from the start. We weren’t there to chat, we were there to accomplish a goal. Pacing gives me a sense of responsibility that I’ve never experienced. I’m a guide, a timer, an encourager, a realist, all in one. We found a great rhythm of keeping a distance between one another, and I barked out splits to reassure him that we were en route to his goal. The focus I had on another’s goal distracted me from the aches and pains I felt in my third marathon. We finished 4 minutes under the 4-hour mark and the sense of accomplishment I felt matched the relief about not having to do another marathon for a long time.
2024 gave me numerous opportunities to enjoy the sport of running. Small races and big races, 5th Avenue and Enchanted Forest, all of these opportunities gave me a chance to prove to myself that my body can do these things, and that consistent training is a privilege. I’m going to continue building a brick wall a day at a time, and you can bet the farm I’ll be back at in 2025 :)
