Bestest Memories

My running club is the best!

Three years ago, after a failed attempt at the Twin Cities marathon, I joined the St. Louis Park Club Run. They had a marathon training class, and I thought that training with them would get me across the finish line. Although I was 50 years old, I was as nervous as a ten-year-old starting a new school. Would I fit in? And more importantly, can I keep up? Everyone was younger than me!

Running with that group has been the greatest! Although I was the slowest runner, I was accepted and never made to feel like I was holding anyone up. I was a part of the team, something I had never before experienced. We did hill repeats and speed work. We ran long (and took extended water breaks!) We raced together and supported each other.

These men and women became my friends. Some have married since we first met; another, divorced; some reached milestone ages; others got new jobs. Together we improved and conquered new challenges.

A year and a half ago, I left the club. It was a difficult decision, but the only thing I liked about the health club I was in was my running group. So I switched health clubs, but never connected with my new running group like I did with my Club Run friends. We stayed in touch and would sometimes go on runs together or we'd see each other at races.

When my health club purchased my old health club, I was so happy because it meant that I could run with the SLP Club Run again! We're in marathon training now, although we're doing separate marathons. And we're talking about the one we're going to do together, next year.

Long runs give you time to reflect and yesterday I was reflecting on what I have learned from the men and women of Club Run.

Show up for the workout, even if you're tired. They'll return the favor to you when they're tired.

Be prompt. Be ready to run at the appointed hour. The later we get started on a run, the later we are to our other commitments.

Support your team. If you're not in the race, go cheer your team mates on. Or stay if you get in before them. Coach Gary was always at the marathons, although he wasn't running them. I spotted Amy K. just before the finish line at the Urban Wildland Half. And Marcia stayed hours after her ten mile race was over to cheer me in at my first marathon finish. Seeing each of them was like a shot of Gu!

Share your resources when someone is in peril. One time I foolishly didn't bring my water bottle and Coach Sarah shared hers. I've never forgotten that.

Stay positive. A positive attitude offers encouragment.

Look out for each other. On one summer run, the wind picked up and the tornado sirens went off! We had nowhere to go but back to the club and I was scared. But we stayed together as a group, when the faster runners could easily have gone on ahead. When we were close to the club, Bev yelled, "Run like hell, ladies!" And we did.

Give back. We always had volunteers to staff our water stops on long runs, but sometimes the resources would be gone by the time the slower runners got there. Amy K, Marcia, Angel, and Bev filled in as "bike angels" to provide ice, and refreshment to us on the trail.

Share the wisdom of your experience. On a tough workout when everyone wanted to quit early, Karen reminded us that "they don't shorten a marathon." And a few years ago, before the start of the Twin Cities Marathon, Jessie shared, "If you feel like you're going too slow, SLOW DOWN." Wise words from two women not yet 30.

Socialize. My group likes to eat. :-) We go out for pre-marathon pasta dinners and then again a few weeks after the race to talk about it! And I look forward to meeting for breakfast after the long run, even though we just spent hours running together.

Thank the coaches. At the end of a training session, we take up a collection and buy a gift for our coach. They are unpaid and have a day job, so the workouts they plan and the time they put in cuts into their personal time. The other clubs I ran with didn't take up a collection, but I still made a point of writing a thankyou note to the coaches that trained me. I learned from the best!

Last night at dinner, my friends gave me a memory book filled with pictures and a memory they each have of me. Many of them also bought a "Find Your Happy Pace" shirt to honor me and they wore them for the above picture. As you can see, I have many memories myself, full of the rich experiences I've shared with these wonderful people. I've listed only a few.

You may think your running group is the best. And that's how it should be. But I know that mine is the best!