About a year ago the idea of running again entered my brain. After not running for many years, I wanted to find a program that would provide a safe learning environment and a positive running experience for me. Being older and wiser, I knew that I needed guidance in this adventure because I didn’t want to hurt myself. Luckily, I found the CARA organization which had all sorts of running training programs. Knowing my limitations, I started with CARA’s Beginning Running program – Level 1.
The Level 1 program was a combination of alternating between running and walking. I remember taking the first running steps and thinking to myself if I had taken on more than I could handle. At times I was so out of breath but I plodded through the group run/walk session. During this session the most difficult week was when we ran for 2 minutes and walked for 1 minute. In the group, I was always the slowest person in the pack while my son was always one of the fastest in the group. I did make it through the 10 weeks of the program.
Since I wanted to continue running, I signed up the summer session of the Beginning Running program – Level 2. This was still a run/walk program but the intervals between run/walk changed and the length of time that the group run increased. I remember the most challenging week being when we would run for 2.5 minutes and walk for only ½ minute. I don’t know how many times I told Mike that evening that I thought he was trying to kill me. Well, I didn’t die and I completed the 10 weeks.
Once I started this journey, I didn’t want to stop but to keep on improving my running. The next program was the 5k that started in the fall. Now I was entering the big times. This session was different since there was a certain distance the group would run. It didn’t matter how long it would take you to run the distance. In this run group, I met Shannon. My favorite run was in week 10 when Shannon and I were the only ones who showed up from all the 4 running levels. The two of us ran with the 6 group leaders who showed up for the group run. Talk about having a private lesson with the experts.
When the 5k training program ended, I ran my first race in years on Thanksgiving; the Turkey Trot in Edison Park. I crossed the finish line but I did struggle through the race; I thought that 3 miles seemed like an eternity. I kept on running on my treadmill during the cold winter months until the next session. In February I started the last of the Beginning Running sessions; the 10k.
During this session, I was sad that Laura and Mike had left CARA and were not there every week. The clinics just weren’t the same without them. The good news was that Shannon was in this training program and we always ran together. The greatest accomplishment for me was when I actually ran the 6 miles during one of the group runs.
Yesterday was my last group run in the ‘Beginning’ Running program? It felt like graduation to me since I completed all 4 session; a total of 40 weeks. After the run yesterday, all of us went to the bar down the street to hang out. As we were all eating and drinking, I realized that we were all so different but we all got along so well. Running was our common bond and most of the conversations revolved around running but other topics were also discussed. One of the conversations was about Groupons which I didn’t know about until a few days ago (Thank you Emily!).
After about 1 ½ hours we all decided to leave and head home. This part of my running life is over and now the real work begins in about 3 weeks when the ½ marathon training begins. There won’t be any wild and crazy Friday nights for me (not that I have any now) for about 12 weeks since the training sessions are on Saturday mornings at 7:00 a.m.
Tonight I had the unexpected happen to me. When I looked through the mail, there was this envelope from the Park District which sponsored the race I ran last Sunday. When I opened the envelope, I read a letter that said I placed 2nd in my age group. The cherry on top of the sundae was that there was also a 2nd place medal in the envelope. I ran a steady race but didn’t know how well I did compared to the rest of the runners. I don’t know how many were in my age group and I really don’t want to know. Sometimes you just need to show up.
Tomorrow morning I am volunteering for a 10 mile race that starts at Montrose Beach. I need to be there at 6:00 a.m. so I better get to bed soon.
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