2022: A Running Celebration

2022: A Running Celebration

Stephanie Diaz
Half Marathon, Real Run Talk, Running

Last week’s post (here) was a reflection on my year in running for 2021. This week’s post will be all about my hopes for 2022. I won’t say “goals” because I don’t like the sense of finality that comes with establishing goals, especially when it comes to running. You set one goal in running and then, before you can fully enjoy and savor the accomplishment, you start thinking about the next goal. I’ve been there and don’t want to go back.

I’ve shared before how I wasn’t a runner before I started running. I wasn’t much into working out, in general. Sure, I would work out here and there, but I didn’t start taking my health seriously until I became a mother and I wanted to model healthy habits for my kids. The irony that makes me chuckle each time I think about it is that I used to be the girl who hated PE as a teen and now I am a woman who feels off when a rest day is taken (rests days are necessary though!).

All that changed in 2012 when I was a mom to a 2.5-year-old and a 6-month-old. I needed something to do that we could do together, and I wanted to do something that would start to lay the foundation for healthy, active life = part of everyday life. Running became that thing and, over time, I created a life that feels more full because running is in it. In the years since that very first lace up, kids in stroller with all the toys and snacks, and put-one-foot-in-front-of-the-other run, I’ve ran thousands of miles and accomplished goals that would leave my teenage self in utter disbelief. Somehow, this self who hated running the mile thought it would be fun to run a 50K just to see if she could do it.

Moral of the story: Don’t count yourself out of the game ever. I didn’t like running as a child or as a teen, but I fell in love with it as an adult. Almost ten years in and the love is deep rooted, even through all the highs, lows, plateaus, setbacks, and challenges that come with being a runner.

So, what does 2022 have in store for me? This year will be all about celebration and truly running in a way that embodies joy. The only real goal is to be as present as possible for each opportunity to run that I am given. Ten years of running is a gift (sometimes a grind, too!) and my focus in 2022 will be on the half marathon. I won’t count myself out from other distances, but 13.1 is where I feel like I shine. This is what I’m signed up for so far:

Lots of races in February and that’s intentional as this year’s Miami Half Marathon will be my tenth running of this event and I wanted to do something special to celebrate this milestone. February will be a celebration of half marathon joy from start to end. (Special thanks to Jessica of Sugar Runs for coaching me through this fun challenge).

I’ll be sharing race recaps and using this blog as a bit of a run diary; maybe this will spare some of my loved ones from hearing about my races over and over and over again. For those of you into numbers, here are some fun facts: As of this blog post, I’ve ran 48 half marathons and my stand-alone half marathon PR time is 1:53:35 (2018).

If you are running any of these races, I would love to connect. If you have any recommendations for half marathons, send them my way!

Here’s to all the miles in 2022 and running them in a way that leaves a bit of love behind in each step taken.

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Run Disney Half Marathon Race Experience
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2021 Running Highlights