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.
For AMR co-founders Dimity and Sarah, making it to the month of December feels a lot like making it to the finish line of a long, hard-fought but well-executed race. Between juggling parenting duties (three words: busy teen schedules) to training for new adventures, it’s been an especially full year. But one thing remains the same: Each year that passes is filled with opportunities to embrace change and challenges, and 2021 was no different.
Dimity: In 2021, I was reminded how many benefits swimming offers me. For one, the mandatory screen-free zone is sublime: For around an hour, the only noise is splashing. What’s more, I feel supported by—and graceful in—the water, a feeling hard to come by on land in my tall body. Finally, I remembered I can dig into hard workouts and get better, a situation I hadn’t experienced in a few years. Love that consistency=improvement equation. While I still dread the post-swim lizard skin and goggle lines, I’m looking forward to many happy laps in 2022.
Dimity spent time with her inner mermaid in 2021.
What else happened this year? 2021 brought big changes to our family. Preparing to take my daughter, Amelia, to college got me thinking about transitions and parenting. While it’s hard to let go, helping your child launch into the world led me to claim the mantra “It doesn’t have to be fun to be fun.”
There was also a little competition for me in 2021—the National Championship Aquabike race. Working with coaches Jen and Liz, training for months, and putting it all on the starting line was one of the most memorable events of my year!
Sarah: My 16-year-old twins, John and Daphne, are massive fans of musical theater. During the depths of lockdown, I asked John if he could do anything after the pandemic was “over,” what would it be. He immediately responded, “See ‘Waitress‘ on Broadway.” I am not an extravagant person, but right then and there I silently vowed I’d make that dream happen. So two days after the show reopened on the Great White Way, after flying cross-country to NYC on frequent flyer miles and getting a great deal on a hotel room, the three of us were mere rows away from the stage of the poignant, heart-warming musical written by—and starring—the pop singer Sara Bareilles. Tears of pure joy—and relief—streamed down all three of our faces.
Sarah’s trip to Broadway with her teens.
What else happened this year? With school mostly virtual and at-home in early 2021, I was missing the daily routine of time in the car with my son John. One of our shared experiences? Laughing at the witty signs a local company put together every week. When I ran past that establishment one morning, I relived the magic and wrote about it in Signs of the Times.
After a years-long running streak with the unstoppable Molly, 2021 was the year my BRF needed to take better care of her knee, which meant less time on the road with me. I gained a new running buddy in 2021, and I’m grateful for the many miles with friends, past and present.
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