2022 - Back to Boston and On to Berlin

I know I've been MIA around here but I also know that you all know that I haven't forgotten you or how to train.   It has been a very rough few months on the personal front and I'm trying to move forward and move on.  2021 is ending not how I wanted my 50s to end, but I know I'm strong and I'll get through it.  What is it that they say? When one door closes, another opens - well I sure do hope that is true.  I know that I deserve to be happy and move forward and that is where I am headed.

'Nuff said.  I'm still running and will be starting Boston training in the next week.  I've got a few other races along the way including the USATF Master 5K Championship here in Atlanta, pacing the Publix Half Marathon, and then Boston.   That will be followed by IM70.3 Chattanooga as I love the half course there and I might as well give it a shot in my new AG.  I also will be running Berlin since I was able to enter as a "Fast" runner with a time since you can qualify and skip the lottery if you run sub 4:10 as a 60 yr old.  I checked and my 3:59 that I ran last February at Publix counted - so I'm in. I expect that to be a lot of fun since I have never run a marathon outside of North America (I have run Victoria and Toronto Waterfront).  

I'll do my best to keep you all up to date and I'll try to keep an even keel over the next few months as I move forward.

We love to hear from you Michele but no pressure to post more often than you have time for.  

Sorry to hear that you've had a rough couple of months. I agree that you deserve to be happy and hope you find happiness as you move forward.  I'm learning to find support from both my remote and local running community.  I'm not always comfortable sharing but even without them knowing the details I know they are there for me...and I often find just getting out for a run very comforting.  I know I'm not telling you anything you don't already know...just letting you know that we care.

You've got a pretty full schedule for 2022.  Wishing you success as you move into a new age group.  Looks like mostly events you have experience with so that's a bonus.  Congrats on the Berlin entry!  That will me a new and exciting challenge for 2022.  I'm starting to look more closely at local events that don't require travel.  Hopefully things will settle down before Berlin and you'll enjoy the experience.  What a great goal for your 60s decade!!

Post when you can but more importantly, take care of yourself!!

Thanks Nancy - and yes, I know my immediate and virtual running community does indeed care.  Just trying to figure out how to move on without hurting my daughter (as and FYI cause it helps, I officially legally separated from my husband as he has been stepping out with a woman in CA for over 6 yrs, and I decided that I've had enough.  It is tough though as he still wants to come for holidays and spend the summer at our home in NY with all our friends there) as she is having issues dealing with her Dad's behavior and it kind of prevents me from putting myself out there.  I'll be turning 60 in a few days, and well, I'm not dead yet, and I deserve better.  I'll figure it out, and it may hurt us both (she and I) along the way, but it will get better.  I have been invited out a few times (as people/friends/guy friends) but I'm still being cautious about jumping into anything although I'm honestly considering a trip to Fl later this month with a good friend (a friend from high school who moved here when his son started tech after a nasty divorce 4+ yrs ago - we actually have a long ago history).  Of course, I'm 60, not 16, so there is that.

Anyway, I have started training for Boston and other "Spring" races and it is feeling pretty good, so there is that.  I'm planning on running a (free) Half Marathon on Saturday which is my actual birthday - so a race in my new AG.  I was also recruited by three friends here from the Track Club to be part of a Mixed (Grand) Masters team at the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler in DC on April 3rd.  Yes, I know it is only 3 wks before Boston but the timing is right before Boston, and the last time that I ran Cherry Blossom was when I turned 50 in 2012 and it was also 3 wks before Boston.  I actually ran well at Boston that year in spite of the 89F temperatures.  Let's hope that doesn't persist.  Two of the guys on the team are running Boston too, but they are invincible in my mind.  One of them recently set a 12K American Record for the AG 60+ earlier this fall.

Daughter and I were supposed to travel to Raleigh the end of last week to visit my sister and niece and go to the Hurricanes game.  Unfortunately, they all tested positive for Covid (caught from my Mom - how I avoided that, who knows) so we didn't go.   School (teaching) started for Shannon on Monday and it is all virtual/remote again this week to help alleviate any Covid issues.   I am just hoping to avoid.

So thanks for all your continued support.    Here is how the last week of training has gone:

Mon, Dec 27th      Easy 5; Trainer
Tues, Dec 28th      Peloton Power Zone Ride - 1 hr
Wed, Dec 29th      Long Run - 11 miles in the Rain for Joey's BDay
Thurs, Dec 30th    Peloton Power Zone Ride - 1 hr; Trainer
Fri, Dec 31st         Easy 6 in the light rain and warm temps
Sat, Jan 1st          10K Resolution Run (we created our own) in the 70F temps
Sun, Jan 2nd        Day off

Totals for the week:   28.2 miles running (last easy week;  30 miles riding

Need to get back in the pool soon - if only they would fix the heater.

So probably more than all of you need to know, but when I do unload it is so much easier.   Let's do this.   And Nancy, maybe you can commit to one of those Spring races and I will see you at Boston in 2023 after all it is the 10th Anniversary of the bombing, and I feel like I need to go run - just to show those f***ers that they didn't win.  I actually already have a time from this past October which is also why running Cherry Blossom is fine.

Thanks to those of you who wished me a Happy Birthday this past weekend.  It was much appreciated.   I ended up running a small(ish) (500 finishers) free, local half marathon here on Saturday since it was my actual birthday. I ended up running what amounted to a very comfortable 1:48:00 which actually surprised me since I was not sure of what shape I'm in, and I scored the new AG win by over 28 min.   I'll take that as it made this old lady feel quite young again especially since I finished 123rd out of 500, and I negative split.   I might indeed not be dead yet.  

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:
So probably more than all of you need to know, but when I do unload it is so much easier.   Let's do this.   And Nancy, maybe you can commit to one of those Spring races and I will see you at Boston in 2023 after all it is the 10th Anniversary of the bombing, and I feel like I need to go run - just to show those f***ers that they didn't win.  I actually already have a time from this past October which is also why running Cherry Blossom is fine.

You do deserve to be happy Michele...and I know your daughter knows that as well.  I'll be thinking of you!
I really struggled to choose a marathon and finally realized that the reason I couldn't decide was because deep down I knew a spring/early summer marathon wasn't a good idea.  Melissa was supportive of whatever decision I made but admitted...after I decided...that she also thought waiting for CIM was a good choice.  So...if I make it to Boston it will be 2024 at the earliest.

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Thanks to those of you who wished me a Happy Birthday this past weekend.  It was much appreciated.   I ended up running a small(ish) (500 finishers) free, local half marathon here on Saturday since it was my actual birthday. I ended up running what amounted to a very comfortable 1:48:00 which actually surprised me since I was not sure of what shape I'm in, and I scored the new AG win by over 28 min.   I'll take that as it made this old lady feel quite young again especially since I finished 123rd out of 500, and I negative split.   I might indeed not be dead yet.  

Glad to hear you enjoyed your birthday run.  Your times and ability to train and race year round are impressive!  No you aren't dead yet...  ...you're a long ways from a sedentary lifestyle.

Happy belated birthday wishes!  Enjoy your 60s.

Thanks all.

And I was/am hoping to see you Kevin - so I'll remember to look for you at the Expo.  I'm staying with my ATC teammates in some Marriott as the ATC will pay - but thanks so much for the offer. The pressure is on for me to run well though - but we will see.  Goal is to try to go under 1:20 which may or may not be a bit ambitious.

Hi Michele,
I'm sorry 2021 ended poorly and the rough few months (and 6+ yrs). I remember budget coaching a soon to be single woman whose husband was dating a married woman and I wonder what was going on in his head to think that was anywhere near acceptable, but I know the paths are often a slow slide into those things and it's just really sad for all involved. Happy belated birthday, I hope the half marathon went well. During some of the saddest times in my life, my running and running friends have really helped. Hugs.