Running 4 Your Life

Last Sunday’s City of Trees Marathon could never have happened without the help of the many volunteers along the course. And, most volunteers are folks who are either athletes themselves or a family member of an athlete. Most likely, they have been in a race and on the receiving end of the service the volunteers provide.

Being a volunteer is also great way to watch a race. You get to see the dedication and determination of all the athletes - from the beginning to the end. Although all athletes appreciate the volunteers, it’s often those athletes at the back of the pack who need and appreciate the volunteers more than ever.

In my experience as a volunteer/supporter, I feel like the athletes give me more than I give to them. They inspire and motivate me, and I continue to be awed by their accomplishments.

My friends at Boise RunWalk had an aid station around mile 20 - generally a pretty tough point in the marathon. And, I can say with certainty that their cheerful encouragement helped many athletes push through this rough patch. Cheers to the mile 20 Boise RunWalk volunteers! You are the best!

On September 13, three of my friends - Matt, Amber, and Chele - ran a marathon. Matt ran the Salmon Marathon (Salmon, Idaho); Amber and Chele ran the Timberline Trail Marathon (Mount Hood). For all of them, it was their 2nd marathon.

By all standards, these three runners would be considered novices - as is the case with any sport in which you have been competing for only a few years. But, the great thing about running - anywhere - is that we are part of a community of runners where it doesn’t matter if you have run 1 marathon or 41 marathons…if you run a 2:48 or a 5:48…you are a special and equal member of that community. And, runners everywhere support each other - fast or slow, old or young, novice or veteran.

Amber said, “It’s awesome how a group of runners can jump into conversations with each other so easily.” Chele said of running with Amber, “…to share it with a friend made it all the sweeter.” Matt met runners at the pre-race pasta party and ran with them the next day in the marathon. I talked with Matt the afternoon of the race, and he was on “Cloud 9.” Four days later, when I talked to him again, he was on the same cloud.

Runners often have an instant connection with each other. I’ve run races in which I was “with” the same runners for almost all of the 26.2 miles. You share a certain kinship with them - maybe because you know it’s as hard for them as it is for you - and you find yourself helping them get to the finish line because in a strange way, their success is also yours.

Running is technically a solitary sport. But it is the supportive running community that keeps us running. I’m so happy for Matt, Amber, and Chele that they had such wonderfully inspiring experiences. Running a marathon is hard, and it’s a monumental achievement. I am even more inspired every time one of my friends runs another marathon.

Matt, Amber, and Chele: Thanks for the inspiration!

I guess when you’ve been running long distances for awhile, it seems like no big deal to run 12-20 miles every Sunday. But to the average person, it probably seems a little crazy.

In late spring, I joined the coaching team for a local Run/Walk group. This group trains everyone - runners and walkers - in distances ranging from the 5K to the marathon. Needless to say, we have a wonderfully diverse group. And, because I do my long runs on Sunday, I am training the shorter distance athletes, mainly the 10K people, so that I can run with them for the shorter distances on Saturday and do my runs on Sunday.

As I work with the enthusiastic, dedicated folks - many of whom have never run a race before - I’m reminded of my early days of racing and training. (more…)

All the things I’ve been talking about in my blog up until now converge these few days before the Eugene Marathon. I’m now in the home stretch leading up to race day, and as I prepare for the actual “event,” I reflect on the past 6 months of training:

How you do anything is how you do everything: I commit to a goal, I stay focused, I am disciplined, I manage my time, and I persist until I succeed.

You can’t do it alone: Rarely does anyone achieve any meaningful success on their own. Coach Scott has worked with me for the past 6 months helping me get stronger both physically and mentally. My husband, who often asks, “Can’t we just go on a vacation without having to run a race?” has hung out with me on my long runs setting water along the path so I didn’t have to carry a waterbelt. My kids and friends have listened to me talk about my track workouts, my tempo runs, and my long runs - even when some of them don’t know what the heck I’m talking about.

Everyday we’re tested: I’ve trained through a cold and snowy Idaho winter - one of the coldest in a long time (I hear). I thought training in Idaho would be a piece of cake compared to training in Chicago during the winter. Idaho was no bargain. Cold, snow, ice, rain, wind. I probably ran only half a dozen runs… (more…)

This past weekend, I traveled with a team of friends to southern Illinois to participate in an event called the River to River Relay. 8 runners, 3 legs each, 80 miles, and lots of hills - We ran from the Mississippi River to the Ohio River. We formed our current team 5 years ago, and this year we set our personal record: not only did we finish in under 12 hours (11:44), we also finished before dark!

The whole River to River experience is a perfect example of teamwork. We started with the basic tasks of registering the team, renting the van, organizing who is bringing what food, and reserving hotel rooms.

But the real teamwork was much more meaningful. We cheered each other on at each transition, made sure each runner had exactly what they needed before and after their legs, and celebrated our victory as a team. Our individual leg times were unimportant in the big scheme of things - what mattered was that we were a team and that we each contributed to our overall personal record.

Rarely does anyone achieve any meaningful success on their own. It takes the help of others not only to accomplish our goals, but also to make them worthwhile.

A huge thanks and congratulations to Lori, Joan, Kathy, Jane, Rob, Pat, and Ken. I’m ready for next year!