Starting the virtual season
Last Saturday was supposed to be my 10k debut on the track. It was also supposed to kick off my final season of collegiate running.
Now, my collegiate career is effectively over. Sure, I have eligibility for the season that COVID-19 took. But taking another full year of school for the sake of one season of outdoor track is a silly enough idea even before factoring in how much more loan debt I’d be taking on.
So what’s there to keep me motivated – to keep me running? All Spring marathons within a reasonable radius are postponed. What am I training for?
Basically, for a virtual season.
I’ve set up time trials for my self and my (now former) teammates to run in lieu of an actual season. I also joined a Strava track club organized by the coach of my old high school. He’ll be matching us into teams to compete in a virtual meet later this Spring. Maybe none of us will set a single personal record in any event. But for me especially, I know I need to get competitive track running out of my system.
Nobody wants to be the 25-year old running unattached at a DIII meet.