2,020 Running Miles in 2020 - It's Only The Beginning

I've hated running my entire life. 
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I dreaded suicides at the end of basketball practice during high school. And running laps during soccer practice was torture. 

Yet here I am, in 2020 with a goal of running 2,020 miles (check out Run The Edge!). 

Why would I commit to spending so much time doing something I don't enjoy? ​

Well, first off, I'm really terrible at it. My form is bad and my pace is slow (10 - 12min miles). Mentally, I get in my head all the time and I'm constantly battling that voice that's telling me to stop. So ideally, I would like to get better! And then maybe it will stop seeming like it's the worst thing in the world!

But most importantly, I discovered this thing called obstacle course racing in early 2018 and a big component of that is... running!

In 2018 I completed 8 spartan races - including the Carolinas Spartan Ultra (50K) and a 6 mile race in Iceland. In 2019 I completed around 35 obstacle course races - 25 spartan races, 5 savage races, 3 bonefrog races, FIT Challenge Ultra and OCRWC 24 Hour Enduro. Three of these races were considered ultras (50K) - the Tri-State NJ Spartan Ultra, Dallas Spartan Ultra and the FIT Challenge Ultra. I missed the mark at Enduro - I was severely underprepared for a 24 hour race in 2019. But I would love to try a 24hr OCR again one day, with proper training! 

So here I am with this crazy goal of running 2,020 miles, hoping it will help me start to enjoy it more and become more competitive on the running side of OCR!

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2019 Mileage

At the start of 2019, I was experiencing knee pain that made it uncomfortable to run, especially on pavement. Toward the middle of the year, I took a break from running and it seemed to help. I was pain-free starting in July and I took the running up a notch in October - 137 miles in a month is a mileage PR for me at this point and I hope to beat that every month this year. After a 15 mile training run in mid-november, I experienced some discomfort in my hip flexors that lasted into December. I blame not stretching properly and running with increasingly bad form at the end of the run. 

Thanks to some of the issues I experienced in 2019, I have some valuable lessons learned I'll take with me into this year to make sure I can run injury-free all year:

1) STRETCH!!! I started doing dynamic stretching before running, but I would hardly ever stretch after. In December, I started doing timed 15 minute stretch sessions after working out or before going to bed. My goal for 2020 is to stretch at least 25 days each month (random, I know, but I don't think I can commit to every single day, so this is already a stretch goal for me... see what I did there ;) ). 

2) If I feel like my form at the end of long runs is deteriorating to the point where it may lead to injury, I will stop my training run no matter what. It's not worth weeks, or possibly months, of inactivity. 

3) Stay on top of nutrition, making sure I have a routine for taking vitamins and making sure I have all of the nutrients I need to stay healthy and keep my body moving!

2020 Plan

One of the biggest 2020 running changes for me - I'm starting to run commute. In fact, Thursday was my first day doing this. And let me tell you... it was THE WORST! But... in a good way. If that makes sense. 

It's approximately 5.25 miles to get to the office from the apartment. Three of those miles are on sidewalks and the rest are on a running trail with some pretty awesome views of Tampa Bay. I bought an IAMRUNBOX commuter backpack to hold my computer and work clothes as I run and I have a quick-dry towel and toiletries at work so I can take a shower once I get in. I do think the commuter bag is great, it's just going to take a little time for me to get used to running with the added weight. 

The best part about run commuting - it's an easy way to rack up around 10 miles and instead of time spent in the car driving to and from work, I'm using that time toward my daily workout. And for all of my eco-friendly readers, it's good for the environment :)

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

While I'll be responsible for running the 2,020 miles this year, I will have some help from my favorite brands!!!

On

I discovered On at the NYC marathon in 2018 and ran 8 miles out of the box in the cloudsurfer the next day. That was my longest training run ever at the time and I fell in love with the brand, becoming a brand ambassador in 2019 (#ONRUNCREW #RUNONCLOUDS). Now, I own the cloudsurfer, cloudflow, and cloudstratus for road running, the cloudventure and cloudventure peak for trail running and the cloud terry for leisure (not pictured here since they are at the office!). I have my eyes on the Cloud Hi for my next pair, but I currently own too many shoes :) 

AltRed

This little red pill can completely change how you train and race. I can immediately feel a difference when I take AltRed vs when I don't before training runs. When I take it, I can breathe more easily, keep my heart rate down and increase my pace slightly without feeling any added effort. When I did the Dallas Spartan Ultra in 2019, I was sick and AltRed played a big role in helping me finish the race!

Excited to represent AltRed as a brand ambassador for 2020! Using sborowiec-altred at checkout will get you 15% off your order!

EndurElite

EndurElite is a brand made for endurance athletes! I love taking PerformElite before races because it helps to give me the confidence and focus I need to tackle both the running and obstacles - no matter the distance! It's the pre-workout meant for racing without the jitters that come from a lot of other pre-workout brands! I also swear by RecoverElite after races and long training runs. If you need to race back to back days, RecoverElite after your race on the first day will keep you feeling fresh for day two!

Excited to be part of the EndurElite team for 2020! Using REF10-NEF9UO at checkout will get you 10% off your order!

LegendBorne

Excited to be part of the LegendBorne squad for 2020! They have high quality race jerseys (and other race gear!) that can be used for obstacle course racing, triathlons, road running - you name it! And you'll look awesome in race pics!

Honey Stinger

My absolute FAVORITE race nutrition for long races are Honey Stinger Energy chews! All of the flavors taste delicious and it really hits the spot - especially when you're a few hours into a race! I also like the Honey Stinger waffles and energy gels! Can't go wrong with anything from Honey Stinger!

Hammer Nutrition

Hammer Nutrition is my go to for daily supplements! Tissue Rejuvenator was my savior last year when it came to my knee pain. I haven't had any knee pain since I started taking tissue rejuvenator regularly. I also enjoy the Mango fizz to help replenish electrolytes after tough workouts!

Using 326581 will get you 15% off your first order!

Coach Soak

I've never really been a bath person, but after a long run on the weekend, using Coach Soak's muscle recovery bath soak is HEAVENLY! If you don't soak after tough workouts, I'd recommend trying it!

Can't wait to share more along my journey toward 2,020 miles this year - including updates on run commuting, training and races!

Next up is the Disney Dopey Challenge (5k, 10k, half marathon, full marathon) next week! Will share more after!

Thanks for reading! 

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed in this post are my own opinions and not representative of my employer or the brands I am affiliated with. I was not paid to post any of this content.