Happy birthday to…

Happy birthday to the Untamed Runner! I launched this blog in late May of 2018 and I celebrated the first anniversary by going for a long run while using birthday cake-flavored Gu. Unfortunately, I used my last birthday cake Gu a couple of weeks ago so while I’ll still go for a long run to celebrate the second anniversary, I’ll have to use something different for fuel.

When I launched, I didn’t imagine the number of consequential things that would occur in the running world. A very few highlights are the smashing of the men’s and women’s marathon world records, the further development of and controversy over new shoe technology, and road 10K times that are approaching the track world record.

I’ve been able to accomplish a fair amount, including winning a 5K in Laramie that did not go according to plan, being accepted to the Runners Roost Race Team #roosraceteam, and running several times in the desert in conditions that ranged from cold and snowy to 105 degrees under harsh sunlight. And for good fun, at least from a writing standpoint, the greatest sprint race ever.

I’m not sure why the past two years have had more momentous running moments than in others, either for me or for others, but there it is and here we are. As I rounded the curve from year one to year two for the blog, events and plans as they related to running seemed somewhat settled. Now, it’s hard to know what to expect. I had a loose race calendar for the year, including a couple of 5Ks and 10Ks later this month and mile races this summer, but everything is either out the door or on hold as we wait to see how this pandemic affects us. Yet we can still run, either outside or on home treadmills.

Maybe being untamed will be good preparation for uncertainty. I’ve always possessed stubbornness towards running in that I’ve always insisted on it. But, my focus has shifted among distances, styles of training, and clusters of racing versus not racing. Often there would be an unexpected reason for a shift, though usually it was one that was pleasant and welcome, not a pandemic.

I have to carry a face covering when I’m out there. With no travel in the near future, new running destinations are unlikely to be added to me resume. I may not be able to go on the exact routes I would prefer, so my current paths will likely become more and more familiar as I use the same residential streets again and again. Yet, what I love about running is the run itself. On my About page, I cite the joy I feel when lacing up my shoes and that is still there, in spite of changes, and untamed is an experience and a mindset.

Because it relates to running, year three of the blog is an unknown, much like everything else around us. The goal of my blog is to convey information that may be useful as you continue with your running and training (or for entertaining reading if you’re not a runner) and this is primarily done through evaluation of major running events and anecdotes around my own experiences, past and present. I’m still running, and the blog will still have new anecdotes and information. Stay tuned…