Only a few more days left in both this year, and this decade. I’m not usually one who gets all reflective and makes 10,000 resolutions for the upcoming year (much less decade,) but so far 2020 is on track to be a great year and it hasn’t even started yet.

Thank goodness…because so far this year, decade, and hell, millennium, was less than stellar for me. I remember going into 2010 feeling like not that many amazing things were in store for me and save for a few mediocre marathons, I was right. I won’t even get into the hell that 2001-2010 was. I think I spent all of those years in a dark fog, after losing my father in early 2001 at the age of 18

That’s not to say there haven’t been some good times or good things in my adult life, but for the most part, this has been the decade of ‘meh’ for me. It’s okay though – it just wasn’t my time yet (that’s what I’ve been telling myself, anyway.)

Now, I don’t have a lot of planned out for the next decade (I’m so not a planner,) but I do have some events and goals for 2020 that I feel pretty optimistic about.

Let’s start with the bad news – I received my ‘rejection’ email from the Chicago Marathon a few weeks ago. It stung worse than I anticipated.  I took it really hard for someone who tried to get her name out of the lottery a few weeks before the drawing. I should be relieved…and I am. Because it’s really expensive, I’d probably be going alone this time,  and my experience in 2019 was a bit harsh (weather, injury, etc.) and I wavered on whether or not to enter in the first place.

Y’all, I normally have JOMO (joy-of-missing-out) with EVERYTHING in my life, except for running. Skipping Chicago in 2018 (by choice) gutted me and I’ve always regretted not signing up that year. I went to a bachelorette party in Chicago that summer and while it was a blast, it felt so weird being in the city for a reason other than running.

Deep down, I know I probably could use a break before I fly across the country to run again…but I’ve also been known to have a few too many drinks around the holidays and throw my name into something (it’s how I’ve been accepted into three Chicago Marathons in the first place.)

Now that I’ve had a few weeks to reflect on everything, my reaction to the rejection shocked me more than the actual rejection. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not a big deal, I’ve been through SO much worse, and the Chicago Marathon will always be there. A 40,000 person race doesn’t just disappear. I’m sure I’ll run it again sooner than later.

While I’m still kind of sad, I’m determined to make 2020 the best year possible as far as my running is concerned. I’m already signed up for a two half marathons and a full marathon in 2020. So far I signed up for the Santa Barbara Wine Country Half, the Rock n’ Roll Las Vegas Half, and the full for Rock n’ Roll San Diego (I may drop to the half – I’m not sure yet. The beauty of this marathon is that you can make the decision on the day of.) I always talk about wanting to see different cities and while San Diego has been my second home since 1982 and I’ve been to Vegas a dozen times, I’ve never done the full in SD and I’ve never run in Vegas (unless you count the 4 miles I did on the treadmill during the 2018 CHP baseball tournament.) 

I’ll probably also sign up for the City of the Sea Half (SLO/Pismo Beach) in October. I’m half tempted to throw my name into NYC, but the odds of getting accepted via lottery are slim to none and, you know, it’s expensive. CIM has also been on my bucket list for a while as well (and it’s only a 6 hour drive from here…so it’s tempting) but I’m trying to stay focused on LA 2021 and I can’t do CIM and LA.

It’s going to be really weird not training for a full fall marathon, but I’m sure I’ll make it through. Maybe it will be a really good time for me to focus on the half and getting my body stronger. I’ve been getting into strength training and I already feel better, even if the changes are more mental than physical at this point. I’m just thrilled that it’s finally sticking. Who knew how therapeutic pushing/pulling some iron (or whatever they make weights out of, haha) could be?

Official training for spring starts ASAP after the new year (yeah, I hate the ‘start in the new year’ crap too, but that’s just how the timing worked for this.) One of my goals in 2020 is to be better about tracking/journaling/goal-setting, so I really do hope to document everything here.

As far as time goes, I’ve always been afraid to get my heart set on a specific time goal (mostly because I’ve never been in the mental/physical space to accomplish it) but I really, REALLY want to hit a sub-2:15 time in the half. I doubt it will happen by May (especially since SB Wine is super hilly,) but I think I can do it by November. I mean, PR-ing at this point would make me so happy (my current half PR is 2:38…and that’s walking the final four miles after a calf strain…I believe I accomplished that in 2014 or 2015…I can’t remember.) It’s time for a PR/PB.

I guess that’s it for the running stuff. I obviously have other goals for 2020 as well, but I’m afraid to talk about them here. I think my financial situation will be better, but a lot of that depends on work and until things are ‘signed on the dotted line,’ so to speak, I’m not saying anything more, for fear it might not happen.

I’ve never been the happiest, most optimistic person in the room, but something about this year just feels really different. I finally feel like good things are coming my way and really, truly believe that the best is yet to come. It may or may not come in 2020, but there’s no way my best years are behind me. I’m ready to experience health and happiness.