Last year, in early March, Kristjana Anderson (who requested we use a pseudonym) had a lot to look forward to. The 46-year-old Annapolis, Maryland–based runner had recently finished treatment for melanoma, and an elite local running team had offered her a place on its roster. The team would pay all her 2020 race entry fees. “It was my suburban mom dream come true,” she says.
Of course, we all know what happened next: A global pandemic. A financial meltdown. And lots of canceled races.
That’s what happened on a macro level, at least. On a micro level, Anderson poured herself a glass of wine in her living room. Then she poured another. The 5:30 A.M. group run was canceled. Hell, everything was canceled. Why not finish the bottle?