Run, run, run
Becoming a runner, one step at a time
By Sam Goodwin
I have always been an active person and a year ago joined the Wild Women's Cycling Club and love mountain biking, but heading into 2010 I wanted to try something new.
I never saw myself as a runner until a friend, who had just signed up for a half marathon running group, inspired me. After hearing him talk about all the group runs and seeing how much fun he was having I went to Avid and signed up for Una McLeod's 10 km class.
Week 1 | I would meet my running group and was amazed at how many people had signed up. We introduced ourselves and headed out for our first group run together. I had discovered I was the only one in the group who had no running experience... Yikes! But everyone was friendly and we all shared the same goal, to have fun and love running!
Week 2 | I found myself happily awaiting Una's weekly email; our schedule with an inspirational message attached. At first I was a bit shocked that she wanted us training five days a week. This would mean waking up on Sundays at 6:45 am to eat and hydrate for the run, which certainly was not my typical time to wake up on my day off! The schedule was just a guide and totally optional and I found it easy to maintain! Our group was geared towards us training for a 10km race at the end of our 16-week class. I realized it's mentally challenging and not just physically challenging, as it's definitely mind over matter at times. Someone once quoted "you never feel guilty for doing a run but you sure feel guilty for not doing a run" and it's true.
Wednesdays were our hill training nights. I have to admit these were the least favorite nights for me at the beginning but I quickly realized how much stronger it made me and was amazed how rapidly my body and mind strengthened. I'm sure our class looked pretty funny to all the cars driving by and watching us run up and down Duncan Street over and over again.
Week 5 | My body is the strongest it has ever felt and I am sleeping like a baby. One of our classes had us writing personal running goals. One of my goals is to complete a 10km race in under one hour.
Week 8 | I completed my first 10km run and finally experienced the "runners high" everyone talked about! We finished our hill training and we're at the track for speed training.
I have registered for the Times Colonist 10km race in Victoria on April 26. And I'm ready to bring my best game to the race!
Una has been an inspiration to me and I hope I can help make her dream come true. Now we're into our final weeks of training and excited for our upcoming race. Watch out Victoria, Una's runners are heading your way!
Una's dream: Run with it
When I came to Powell River I didn't have a job, a friend, a community--just my family and me looking forward to a new life in the rain forest. My whole life and community from Edmonton were runners. For fun we would go for a Friday night run in the river valley, meet at someone's house then BBQ on someone's tail gate. That's what I love and that's what I wanted to create that here in Powell River. Avid has given me that opportunity! My mandate is simple: have everyone in Powell River running and make Powell River the biggest running community in the world!
I love watching people achieve their running goals through the running clinics. I completely believe that we are all born runners; it's an innate ability that is as much a part of us as walking. But just like walking, use it or lose it! The classes are from Rookies (runners with no experience ever), to 10K distance and the marathon distances.
There is a consistent trend that develops in groups, usually after the five-week mark. I call it "birding". It's when the group starts to become so cohesive that they start "running" like flocks of birds. When one initiates crossing the road, the entire flock turns as if with one mind. Running in itself is great, but running with a group is amazing. You enjoy camaraderie, friendships, community spirit, and all while getting the best exercise for your mental and physical health!
