August Running Adventures

 

This crazy year is slipping by so incredibly fast! 

Back in May, I looked back at the goals shared in January. One of those goals was to participate in 2 runs in 2020. I'd signed up for my first 8K in March. However, a cold in January put me behind in my training. And then the race was cancelled. I was pretty bummed and took a break from running. By May, I could not run 3 miles without stopping to walk. 

So, I decided to follow the My First 5K Training Program on my Runkeeper App and start working my way up to running an 8K, in hopes that the race I'd hoped to run in March might actually happen in 2021.

With all of the virtual runs available in 2020, I realized I could still participate in 2 races this year.

On July 13th, I signed up for the Scooby Doo Family and Pet Virtual 5K Run/Walk. I was delighted on August 19th when my Scooby Doo Swag arrived.

On August 24th, I finally ran that 5K. It was my best pace since I began using the Runkeeper App in May of 2019 (and probably my best pace ever.) 

I am allergic to furry creatures, so I did not have a dog to join me on my run. However, my husband and Buddy, our bearded dragon, were waiting to greet me on the front porch at the end of my first virtual race. 

Buddy does not like pictures anymore than I do, but he was a trooper as my hubby documented the occasion. 

My 2nd run of the year will be the 2020 DC Batman Virtual Run. I signed up for my first 10K. (Yikes!) And am really looking forward to it. The swag for this run is just as fun as the Scooby Doo goodies. Race packets begin shipping on September 21st. I can barely wait for that package to arrive! In the meantime, I'm training with my Runkeeper App. 

Both of these virtual runs benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which is pretty awesome. (Registration for the Scooby Doo run is open until October 4th. Registration for the DC Batman Run is open until December 1st.)

In August, I also splurged and bought a running tank top through Amazon. This one cracked me up. 

As many of you know, I love statistics with my cross-stitching. 

I find the running stats on my Runkeeper App motivating, too.

August 2020 was a great running month for me. I managed to run 32.8 miles in August. My Scooby Doo Run's pace of 11:16 minutes/mile was my best pace yet.

And, I ran my first 5 mile run in years and years. 9 miles was my longest distance back in 2012, followed by a stress fracture from the wrong type of shoes that set me back from running for years. (If you follow me on Instagram, you know I have already beat this 5 mile distance in September.)

Needless to say, I am pretty excited to be working my way to a stronger, healthier version of myself. 

Wishing you all a fantastic month full of good health.

Renee