We asked some Heartbreakers what their big goals are for 2021 and what they're most looking forward to within the ambitious Vision 21 plan. Here's Sophie Pietrick. [Black and white portrait by Daniel Portal]
HB: What are you looking forward to in 2021?
SP: With the long-awaited arrival of the COVID vaccine, I'm most excited about the possibility of finally being able to safely see my family. I moved to Boston for school, and never anticipated being unable to go home to Minnesota regularly. In terms of running, I'm looking forward to finally being able to run the Boston Marathon! I trained for the 2020 version, but obviously never got to see the fruits of my labor. I'm excited to hopefully PR, and experience the magical event that everyone speaks so highly of!
HB: Which of our athlete consultants are you most excited to hear from?
SP: While I'm excited to hear from all of them, I've always been a big fan of Emily Infeld. It's been exciting to see how her career has unfolded over the years, and I'm always impressed by her grit and ability to pick herself back up after injury and disappointment. She's so fiercely supportive of both her teammates and competitors, which I think is a mentality we should all strive for.
HB: What’s your big running goal for the year?
SP: It feels weird to write these for everyone to see, but I guess it will help me stay accountable! I'm looking to run a sub-3 hour marathon, and a sub-1:21 half.
HB: How do you expect the Heartbreakers/Vision21 will help?
SP: I joined the Heartbreakers shortly after moving here, and being a part of this community has done wonders for my motivation. Like a lot of Heartbreakers, I was a burnt out post-collegiate runner who fell in love with running all over again after joining the team. Dan's stellar coaching and the camaraderie of teammates have inspired me to see what I can do, and I anticipate Vision 21 will only add more to my motivation. I started clinical work to become a nurse anesthetist this fall and unfortunately haven't been able to put in as many miles as I'd like. In this context, I think Vision 21 will help me stay consistent with my training, even if I can't put in as much volume as I was doing in the past. I'm especially looking forward to the opportunities it offers to compete. It's been hard to stay motivated without official races, so I'm looking forward to having those concrete opportunities!
HB: What are you looking forward to in 2021?
SP: With the long-awaited arrival of the COVID vaccine, I'm most excited about the possibility of finally being able to safely see my family. I moved to Boston for school, and never anticipated being unable to go home to Minnesota regularly. In terms of running, I'm looking forward to finally being able to run the Boston Marathon! I trained for the 2020 version, but obviously never got to see the fruits of my labor. I'm excited to hopefully PR, and experience the magical event that everyone speaks so highly of!
HB: Which of our athlete consultants are you most excited to hear from?
SP: While I'm excited to hear from all of them, I've always been a big fan of Emily Infeld. It's been exciting to see how her career has unfolded over the years, and I'm always impressed by her grit and ability to pick herself back up after injury and disappointment. She's so fiercely supportive of both her teammates and competitors, which I think is a mentality we should all strive for.
HB: What’s your big running goal for the year?
SP: It feels weird to write these for everyone to see, but I guess it will help me stay accountable! I'm looking to run a sub-3 hour marathon, and a sub-1:21 half.
HB: How do you expect the Heartbreakers/Vision21 will help?
SP: I joined the Heartbreakers shortly after moving here, and being a part of this community has done wonders for my motivation. Like a lot of Heartbreakers, I was a burnt out post-collegiate runner who fell in love with running all over again after joining the team. Dan's stellar coaching and the camaraderie of teammates have inspired me to see what I can do, and I anticipate Vision 21 will only add more to my motivation. I started clinical work to become a nurse anesthetist this fall and unfortunately haven't been able to put in as many miles as I'd like. In this context, I think Vision 21 will help me stay consistent with my training, even if I can't put in as much volume as I was doing in the past. I'm especially looking forward to the opportunities it offers to compete. It's been hard to stay motivated without official races, so I'm looking forward to having those concrete opportunities!