Most of these ladies entered the 5K clinic with a few goals - most of them wanted to lose weight. Now 10 weeks later, I think many of them accomplished this goal and did something else they never thought possible with running: they had fun. In fact, chatting with them post-race was quite motivating.
As I described a few posts ago, all races during Scotiabank Waterfront Marathon weekend finished in the same place. So you had 5k finishers mingling with full and half marathoners. For this group of women, this 5K race - their first - was like their marathon. They described the feelings of euphoria and spoke about that "runner's high" as they crossed the finish.
They were so pumped and super excited about how they did and how they felt. It was like I was chatting with a bunch of school girls talking about their first dance! Their energy was so infectious that I almost committed to running another 5K race. Then I remembered the pressure at 4K. And then my little friend, Baby Max, kicked me.
Part of the reason I choose to teach and pace new runners is to help them develop an interest for running- beyond the clinic. For me, running has become a part of my life. It's become something I do to unwind and be with my own thoughts. I also love racing and love the runner's high I get from crossing the finish line. This group of ladies felt the magic. They are hooked, just like I was a few years ago. It truly is a beautiful thing.
Well, today I could have used their motivation and energy. In my neck of the woods, the day was dreary, cold and miserable. As I walked to my car on the way home, a steady rain fell, soaking my jacket. I had planned to do a short run with some other new runners, but ended up staying at work later than usual. So I tried to convince myself to do a elliptical workout. However, no amount of convincing worked tonight. And I ended up just going home, eating left over Chow Mien for dinner while The B played on his new iPod.
Some Friday night.
Tomorrow I vow to go to the gym. Here's my workout plan for the next few days:
Saturday - Elliptical and weights
Sunday - Short run, weights in the evening
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Elliptical and weights
Wednesday - Short run
2 Comments:
wow! such inspiration! How are you feeling? My next pregnancy I plan on running through it.
How cool to help out new runners! That must have been so much fun to watch your "kids" accomplish their goals.
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