As 2021 draws to a close, we can say with certainty this year has been a marathon, not a sprint. We wanted to take the month of December to look back at the milestones, miles, and memories that shaped the past twelve months. We put a call out to our staff and the AMR community, asking for their highlights—from PRs to first races to life changes. Here are just some of their inspiring responses.
While some in-person races took place in 2021, many others did not. Rather than kick the racing can down the road or throw in the towel altogether, plenty of you chose to embrace the uncertainty and create your own events. From charting courses for virtual races like the Boston Marathon and Love the Run, to unique challenges you created out of thin air, the desire to compete never waned so you chose your own adventure. The creativity of routes, homemade aid station and medals, and personal cheer squads were some of the greatest highlights of the year.
Karen H.: For my 50th birthday in October, I did my own Ironman. I swam the 2.4 miles across the local lake, rode 112 miles around our county, and ran 26.2 from my BRF’s house to my house. My running tribe, Girls Gone Running, supported me, joined me on the bike, took turns running with me, and controlled traffic. I finished the run with my two daughters by my side. The picture, though, is from mile 7 on the run when I developed a blister on my toe. The ladies descended on my like a NASCAR pit crew, bandaged me up, and sent me on my way. They were amazing and I am so thankful for them!
Karen’s amazing crew.
Mindi T.: I completed my very first marathon, the virtual Boston Marathon! Such a mental challenge to run the miles completely alone, but I did it!
The marathon was vitrual, but the smiles were all in person.
Rachel J.: I decided to run a marathon in every country I have lived in: Somaliland (2018), the United States (2011 and 2012), and 2021 was the year for Djibouti. I also wanted to run a marathon post-cancer, to see if I still can. Unfortunately Djibouti doesn’t host any marathons, so I did it alone, from training to race day. I started at 4:00 a.m. to avoid the heat of the day and hit seven miles just as all the neighborhood mosques sang out the call to prayer. By 10 miles, men pushing bread wagons filled with fresh baguettes joined me on the streets. 15 miles in, I ran past Djibouti’s golf course, basically an 18-hole sand trap, the US military base Camp Lemonier, the port, and the ocean. At 20-miles, a friend helped me refill water and brought a change of clothes. When I rounded the corner to my house, our dog burst out the gate to greet me. My husband cheered and snapped pictures as I broke the tape he had across the door. He draped a homemade medal around my neck—aluminum foil on a lace ribbon. I can now check off my goal of a Djibouti Marathon and a post-cancer marathon. It wasn’t fast or pretty, but I can still do it!
Hannah S.: I ran Disney’s Princess Virtual Half with my BRFs. We mapped our own course, pretended to run through all the parks, took character pictures with our kids who all dressed up, and even took a finish line photo in front of the castle with our medals made by my daughter.
Hannah and friends with a princess adventure!
Carrie M.: I did my first marathon as a virtual! The Boston 125th virtual was my greatest personal accomplishment in 2021! It was hot, tough, and 26.2 miles in a local park!
Carrie post-race sans running shoes because #blistershappened.
Petra D.: In January of 2021 I started a quest to run every single street of San Francisco. 112 runs, 777 miles, 42% of the streets completed. I have found many surprises on my runs and am learning about my city and the people in it. (Purple marks the streets run.)
Petra’s progress so far. Look at all that purple!
April H.: The Love the Run virtual races were the perfect adventure (and distraction) during an uncertain year. Knowing I had a series of races and a community rooting for me was exactly the push I needed to stay motivated.
Stacey B.: A Half-y Birthday Half Century Half! I chose my own adventure by planning my own half-marathon for my 50th birthday, including medals for those who ran any part of it with me. Available friends and family joined me or cheered for me on my route. The finish line was at Rusty Taco so I could celebrate with my pavement posse, fabulous friends, and a marvelous margarita.
A collage of Stacey’s epic adventure, where she made sure the finish line included tacos.
Pam H.: Instead of sticking close to home, my husband, Erik, and I flew to New Hampshire to run the Virtual Boston Marathon. Fellow BAMR Melissa welcomed me into her arms, her state, her home. She mapped out the marathon route along the New Hampshire seacoast with loving care. Melissa, her husband Steve, and BAMR Donna guided, supported, encouraged, and loved us. They held up homemade signs and danced and rang cowbells and blew duck whistles. 2021 highlight? Nope—major life highlight.
Pam and Erik posing with their Boston hardware.
Love these stories! My 2021 adventure was to start a Running Streak. I had planned to start on Jan 1 but Santa brought me Covid for Christmas 2020 – I attempted running with it but that sh*t was no joke, my lungs couldn’t handle it. So I I started when I could breathe again on Jan 8. I hit day 335 today and have no plans to stop – it’s been THE best running achievement of my life, and has taught me so much about what my body and mind can do. Cheers to all you BAMRs, love this community❤️.