My 2020 Spring (empty) Bucket List

There were all kinds of grandiose things on tap for my 2020 spring racing season.

Sorry, but I'm not sorry for being an early bird (both in my daily routine AND in registering for races). There is a gamble, though, in that the race(s) may not come to fruition and that start line (and subsequent finish line) will not happen. It could be all on the runner (ahem, injury or arisen schedule conflicts) or it could be on the race day circumstances (the weather).

Or, in my case, it was due to COVID-19 messing with things.

First of all, let me emphasize that I am not bitter nor angry.

If it was all on me (and my own poor choices), that would be a different scenario. This, however, is a most unique situation. This is something that none of us could have foreseen, and it's affected pretty much all runners, at least in some capacity.

Currently, my spring "races-not-happening" have reached a count of six. I still have two events, a team relay (scheduled for May 9th) and a 20K (scheduled for May 30th) that are still "on." I'm not holding my breath, or betting the farm, on either's outcome.

Care to hear about my new Plan of Action?

Last Saturday (March 21st), the first of these races was to have happened on the streets of Tampa, Florida. This would have been my first time running the Driscoll's Strawberry Classic 10K. Obviously, this race was called almost immediately as everything else was canceling.

Also, did I mention the hubs and I would have been enjoying a long weekend, spring-breaking with friends, and watching countless NCAA basketball games? Well, none of that happened. In light of all that had escalated (in a very short time) with the virus, we made the wise decision to stay home. Instead, I ran the COVID 19-Miler Virtual Run as a satisfying consolation.

The next event to cancel was the Chocoholic Frolic 10K (Iowa City, IA), scheduled for March 28th. The race organizers wasted no time in getting all the packets mailed to the registered participants and encouraged all to run the event virtually. My packet of swag was waiting for me when I got home from work last Friday, so I laced up and incorporated that 10K into the first part of my 19-miler. Don't worry, I still plan to run the 10K (again, virtually) on what would have been the race's actual race date (so I'm not "double-dipping" with my virtual races).

Another event affected is the Fight for Air Climb. Currently in postponed status (rumor has it the Climb will be rescheduled for some time in June or July), this would have been happening on March 29th (yes, the morning following the Chocoholic Frolic).  Although it will happen at a later date, and I am still fundraising (FYI), I do plan to do my own virtual Climb...all 76 flights of stairs, this coming weekend (also on the actual date it would have happened). After all, why not?

Next, there was to be the Drake Relays Road Races Half Marathon (April 19th, Des Moines, IA), and the Grand Blue Mile (two days later, also in Des Moines). Both of these are affiliated with the Drake Relays, a big Olympic-style extravaganza of running which draws state-wide high school hotshots, collegiate all stars and numerous elites. Both of these are also tentatively happening in the summer. I plan to run a 13.1-mile run on April 19th (on my own) and will do a 1-mile time trial on the following Tuesday, the 21st.

Lastly, the Run CRANDIC Half Marathon was scheduled for April 26th (yes, just a week following the Drake 13.1). That is also postponed until summer (which we all know suits me just fine, thank you very much). I will still plan to run those 13.1 miles on CRANDIC's original race day as well.

So, am I blue? Well, maybe just a little, but I'm not going to boo-hoo over it. Although I won't be training hard to run these as virtual events, I do plan to maintain my base and throw in some occasional speed drills. Basically, I'm forging on as if these actual events were happening as scheduled...but will be cutting myself some slack if need be. After all, I'm not getting paid to "perform" like an elite, so I certainly don't need to train like one.

And, let's not forget I will be staying active. Deborah and I are hosting the 19 Minutes for 19 Days Challenge, after all, so I won't be sitting idle pining away for what could have been. This spring will be like no other, but I plan to make the best of these lemons. #TeamLemonade all the way!

#19for19Challenge

So, yeah. Not a lot of "real" racing, but all kinds of virtual racing (and plenty of just-for-fun running) is on tap. Bring it!

Have you had to take a step back and modify your spring schedule? Any races canceled or postponed? Any virtual options?

I'm linking this with Kim and Zenaida for the Tuesday Topics Link-Up

I'm also linking with Debbie,  Rachel, Deborah, Lisa, Smitha and Jenn for the Runners' Roundup

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