2021 was a year that I started facing some interesting (and mostly COVID-related) challenges in both my personal and professional lives. I resolved to work on some of these in 2022.

In 2017-2018, while I was just starting my running journey and was finding it hard to break out of the 10K distances. So, I joined a few local running groups. If you are new to running, and you find that sometimes you lack motivation (especially during the winter!), I highly recommend run clubs. Through the last five years, my local run clubs have been my support system. They have helped me train up to my first half marathon, visited and supported me during my stroke, and rehabbed me back to run two virtual full marathons.

So, it is safe to say that I knew I’d need a LOT of runs with my run crew during the winter blues this year in particular. Wednesday, I joined two of the four people who helped me train for my first full (virtual) marathon in October of 2020. I don’t train with them all the time, but we keep in touch constantly and I run with them when I need an easier, consistent pace with great conversations- what I consider a ‘party pace’.

This post goes out to Reen and Dave here who have helped me grow and train as a runner and a person.

Happy running,

-TSR