2021. We made it!
Looking back at 2021, I was debating over whether or not to write a recap of my year, and then I thought, what the hell am I going to recap? Okay, there might be a couple of things.
While much of 2021 was an extension of 2020, there were some vastly good improvements.
Of course, this year I still haven’t eaten inside of a restaurant, or seen any movies in theaters. I haven’t hung out with people, or ran with others, feeling slightly jealous and yet, nervous when I see others running with people, but we all have our own comfort levels and I’m not there yet.
2021 was the first year in 21+ years I haven’t completed an in-person race. The one race I was signed up for, the Cirque Du Griffith Park 24 Hour, was canceled, and I didn’t miss live races enough to find another one. I was fine completing the virtual London and virtual Boston Marathons.
Something that wasn’t entirely intentional, but not exactly surprising, happened this year, or I should say, did not happen this year. Not once, this entire year, did I step foot on a mountain.
Since 2012 I’ve been a regular trail runner, but in 2021, that stopped. There were times I ran on a dirt path, but that’s not the same thing.
Part of the reason is I wasn’t feeling drawn to the trails and I wasn’t going to force anything. I’d return when I was ready, but my desire to get back on the dirt wasn’t there.
I realized after Javelina in 2020, I needed a break, and while I thought a break would be a few weeks, perhaps a couple of months, I didn’t think it would be 14 months (and counting).
There was a huge highlight to my 2021. In fact, it was the BIGGEST highlight!
The last trip I took before the pandemic struck was to Philadelphia and New York City in November 2019 and if there was anywhere I wanted to go when it was safer to do so, it was of course to New York City because I love that city.
Without going into the millions of details, my NYC trip in August can be summed up a little like this:
- Watching a scene of NBC’s New Amsterdam being filmed (S4 E4 in case you’re wondering)
- Running in Central Park
- Running along the Hudson River
- Zabar’s
- Bookstores
- Hurricane Henri
- Walking everywhere (now you know where a bulk of my marathon training was)
- And so much more I can’t even write about or else this post would be a mile long.
But the main reason was this…
When I traveled to NYC in January 2018, I hoped to see Springsteen On Broadway since I had been trying to get tickets for it in 2017. It didn’t happen and instead snagged tickets to see “Waitress” starring Sara Bareilles and Jason Mraz which I loved! You could say I got lucky. Ha! Get it?
Anyways, I accepted I wasn’t going to see my love, Bruce Springsteen on Broadway and would just have to settle for the Netflix show.
Fast forward to the summer of 2021 when it was announced Bruce would be returning to his Broadway show for a limited run to help open up NYC since COVID cases were down at that time.
There was something within me that knew this was the year! And it was! It was the dream of a lifetime to celebrate my birthday week not only seeing him once but twice!
I wish I could articulate what those shows were like. They were raw and emotional and beautiful and magical as I sat there in that small theater double-masked entranced with his stories. Netflix should replace the original show because his updated show was a million times better than the first run.
And I can’t help but think there was a reason I didn’t see him before because good things come to those who wait and the wait was worth it!
If there was one consistency in 2021 it was being a part of the most amazing CRAW team! For the past 16 months, The Wayfarers (a name that was inspired by the Springsteen song The Wayfarer and also means a person who travels on foot) have run and walked virtually around the globe through illness, injuries, travels, vacations, snow, rain, heat, and everything else life wanted to throw at us.
All of us doing our part. Some teammates had consistently high miles, and some not so much, but every mile counted, and every mile was important no matter how big or how small, regardless if they were completed on a treadmill, trail, or road. We all came together with a shared goal of propelling our team forward and December 31st marks the end of our CRAW adventures.
Our team isn’t ending the way it started. We became stronger, forming a tighter bond of friendships, and support, and encouragement and for that I’m grateful.
So I just want to say, THANK YOU to Amanda, CC, Danielle, Holly, Jeff, John, Katy, Keith, and Kev! Also, to Janette and Lauren who were Wayfarers in the beginning. I’m honored to have been a part of this amazing team.
But the best thing about 2021 is that my family and I managed to stay healthy which I’m enormously grateful for, and every day we wake up and are healthy, it’s a great day.
Now it’s time to say goodbye to 2021 and look forward to new and better adventures in 2022! Hopefully.
At this point, I can only hope, but also, do my part, and focus on better, and go into 2022 with optimism, faith, and excitement!
Thank you for reading and I’m wishing you and your families a Happy and Healthy New Year!!
Cheers!