A running recap of the odd month that was March

Posted on by Vanessa Junkin (She Runs by the Seashore)
Photo of watch on wrist showing "Quarantempo," "Do Workout" and "View." Text says "March 90," for 90 miles in March.
You know times are strange when you’re doing a “Quarantempo” workout.

It’s pretty crazy to think I started last month — LAST MONTH! — with a race that included thousands of people. That race, the Publix Atlanta Marathon, was the day after the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, which had thousands of spectators packing the edges of Atlanta’s streets.

I’m extremely thankful I was able to have an amazing trip before coronavirus started having a major impact on the lives of all Americans.

Here’s how my month went:

  1. I ran 90 miles. This included six days of no running post-marathon.
  2. I ran one regular race and one virtual race challenge (two races). As I mentioned above, I got to run the Publix Atlanta Marathon before every race started being canceled. I don’t think I’d want to run a virtual marathon, so I’m especially grateful that the timing worked out for the spring marathon I’d been training for. I was also supposed to travel to Virginia Beach for the Dolphin Challenge (8K and half marathon) during the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon Weekend, where members of Team BibRave and BibRave Pros were going to gather for a summit. While I didn’t get to go to Virginia Beach, I did run the distances on my own, in virtual races in Salisbury.
  3. That was my first virtual race weekend. I did a virtual running challenge, but I had not done a virtual race before. It’s definitely not the same as a regular race, but it’s what we have available right now.
  4. I made it to a new scenic location. I went to Janes Island State Park in Somerset County for a socially distant solo run. I’m glad I got to check out this new location, but now, I’m just running from my house.
  5. I didn’t go to the gym at all. Again, I didn’t hit my goal of going four times per month. However, gyms closed halfway through the month, so I’m cutting myself some slack on that one.
  6. I did online yoga twice. Having several days off work made it easier to get in some at-home yoga, which I streamed through Meta Yoga’s Instagram (@metayogasalisbury).
  7. I walked a little bit. I learned about the 19 Minutes for 19 Days Challenge and decided to walk — for at least 19 minutes — on my days off from running. One day in March, I walked a mile-and-a-half, and another day, I walked two miles.
  8. My last group run (for the time being) was March 10. Since it’s April 10, today marks a month since the last day I ran with other people. As the person who started the Eastern Shore Running Club’s group runs and selfie tradition, I’m clearly disappointed that we can’t safely have group runs — but I’m abiding by the rules to stay healthy, keep others safe and follow the law.

Hope you’re all doing OK out there! I saw and shared a comic in which the Harford County Running Club, which had posted it, said that the “constant talker” in the group is probably not OK. That is me, and I miss everyone.

I have been doing my best and although it’s not always fun, I do feel like I have adjusted to this new way of life — for now. It helps to know that it is not permanent.