Being that the weather is nicer here in Upstate New York. Between yesterday’s 1.5 hours of running and today’s 3 hour run, I have definitely finished my 27 birthday miles. Usually, I run my age on my birthday, but there is a huge mileage difference between when I started at 17 to now at 27. This is the first year that I have really broken up my birthday mileage or finished it so late. I think my coolest birthday mileage was the NOLA Marathon for my 24th, and overachieving in the birthday miles. My hardest birthday miles were definitely 19 up in freezing cold Maine on a snowy weekend, breaking it up with half on the treadmill and half running down White Bridge Road to the bridge overlooking the mountains like Mt Washington and the freezing lake. Today, I just lapped my block and did some treadmill work. Doing my ginormous hills around my block is difficult, but I am so used to it. Sure, I would prefer running down a sandy coast with salty ocean air at sea-level with zero hills whilst wearing my run-buns and a sports-bra, but these hills are good for my soul and my quads.

Whenever I feel out of shape, running ten miles will always snap me back. Especially, ten miles of hills.

I feel like no matter what, this year my goal is to run 1:10ish and 2:30ish in the half and full marathon. My other goal is to publish my run book so I can bring it to all of my races and share my journey as an elite athlete in the marathon the past ten years. Of course being on track getting letters next to my name in a non-covid world with furthering my education is also on the goals list. Covid is a bad time to be a professional athlete. However, I know that I will have my time in the next couple years of running and feel valid or most importantly fulfilled. All those years of running hundred mile weeks for months on end just so I could do Olympic Trial’s or run 2:30 in a world major, cannot go to waste. I have been running with a purpose all these years, and I have faith that everything will fall into place! Hopefully, 27 is not too old to run. I think being in the marathon since 17 could either make me very burnt out or make me have an advantage. We shall see which one happens.