Running Solo

The pandemic has changed everyone inside and out.  Before the lockdown, I would meet up with others for group runs multiple times during the week; during and after I have become more comfortable with running solo.

The community created around training programs and fun runs brought support and encouragement for races and self-improvement as an extension of that.    

Getting time away from daily life through physical activity brings time for the mind to pause and reflect.  The time devoted to training with others of a similar pace for long runs can have the byproduct of making life outside of those runs more manageable because of the connections forged by the very practice of running and talking.  Talking on long runs is a gauge to measure effort if someone can talk while running without gasping for breath, then it is likely an appropriate pace for a distance run.  Gasping for breath being able to say onlyone or two words with effort is indication of hard effort, likely running at a pace appropriate for a mile.

No longer having the physical connection and accountability of a planned run removed made it difficult to schedule time.  Virtual racing and the commitment to run mileage for various things made it easier to stay active. 

Being considered an essential worker and living alone during the pandemic meant spending time away from everyone. 

Tools used before as preparation for races of running the streets of my then neighborhood solo or on a treadmill when weather demanded became a pathway for personal perseverance while in transition. 

Moving to Dayton from suburban Chicago has meant new surroundings.  The terrain of the area is substantially hillier.  Parking garages and overpasses were the hilliest things I had been used to before.  It is easier to walk than run my new neighborhood, aptly named Hills and Dales.  Finding my way to the comparatively flat river trail felt almost like a homecoming!

The airplane geek in me revels in the history of the area.  Hawthorn Hill, the Wright Brothers home, is within walking distance.  So too is the Wright Model B flyer at Carillon Park, adjacent to the river trail.   Stepping into a place that witnessed history is one of the thrills of exploring the world.

Listening to what works for me has taken trial and error but has been worth it; I’m more apt to get a run or long walk/hike in during the day than after dark.

Running solo, awareness of my surroundings has become more important. Seeing and listening to what is going on around me is imperative as is having my phone on hand.  Pace is no longer gauged by talking but by my watch. 

My daily commitment to myself to do something active has been essential when races have not been on the schedule.  These days 10,000 steps a day have been a way to quantify staying active while not training for an upcoming race.   

Courage to keep going isn’t always visible, it’s the little moments of putting one foot in front of another while figuring out what the next step will be.  It is having faith that training will put you on the right path for your next run.