March challenge completed

It's certainly been busy since I last posted! Today I completed my challenge for March. First I ran 11 miles with my training group, who is planning on running the More half-marathon in NYC in two weeks. After a 45 minute break, I then walked 11 miles with the walkers in my training group, for a total of 22 miles on my sneakers today.

I felt great!

We finally had sunny weather, even if it was 20 degrees when we started. All of the women in the group are energetic and determined to meet their goal of completing the half-marathon. One even ran the last two blocks today (she's a walker) so that she could finish the 11 miles in under 3 hours!

Even though my feet and legs are tired, I'm so thrilled to be a part of this inspiring group, that I'm almost considering a run tomorrow (almost). My April challenge will be to complete the half-marathon with this fantastic group!

Why run?

I had this crazy idea to start a training group for women over 40 to run or walk the More half-marathon in NYC on April 6th. I thought it would be great if I could entice 5 women into the program.

I've had over 60 women express interest. Wow! You have to remember that we live in Vermont and upstate New York, and the highest temperature on the day of our kick-off meeting was zero.

Why would women want to run or walk throughout the winter to train for a 13.1 mile race? Here are some of their reasons:
- to get more fit and healthy
- to accomplish finishing a half marathon
- to increase motivation to commit to an exercise program
- to have fun with a group of like-minded women
- to have something just for me!

They show up at 5:30 am, when it's dark. They show up again at 5:30pm - when it's once again dark. We also have training sessions during the day, which means juggling work, kids, and family schedules. We walk and run outside as a group, saving the treadmill for those times we can't make it to a group session.

We've met new friends, learned stretching techniques, purchased 'technical' clothing that wicks away sweat, and experienced the satisfaction that comes from committing to a difficult, yet important, goals.

These women are wonderful as a group and as individuals, and I'm thrilled to help them reach their goal: the More half-marathon finish line on April 6th!

Women want MORE

What is it about women turning 40 that gets us jazzed up? I ran my first marathon 2 weeks before my 40th birthday as a way of thumbing my nose at age and reassuring myself that physically and mentally I still could set - and achieve - challenges.

MORE magazine, a magazine aimed at women over age 40, hosts a half-marathon and full marathon in New York City's Central Park each Spring. I thought about how cool it would be to gather a group of women in my area, train for the half-marathon, and run it together. Of course, I was thinking about this while out for a long training run :)

What to do when you have a brainstorm? Talk it over with a friend, right? My friend Kathryn has a fantastic history of exercise, but lately she's slowed down. When she heard the idea, she was jazzed! Another friend, Patty, actually ran both the New York City marathon and the MORE half-marathon in previous years, but like many women found herself bogged down with work and family issues that needed her attention. She heard the idea of a local training group, and got excited about running again.

Since the idea snowballed, we're moving forward with making it a reality. Even if you don't live in the Manchester, VT, area, you can set goals and challenges for yourself. Heck, you can even join our training group as a virtual partner! Look for more details soon, since we'll start training in early January.

If you're excited about the possibility of challenging yourself to complete a new goal, check out the MORE marathon website at http://www.nyrr.org/races/2008/more/index.asp

If running or walking a half marathon isn't your thing, brainstorm a challenge that suits you. Dream big dreams, set small goals, and realize significant success.

Maple Leaf Half-Marathon and 5K

We did it! A group consisting of the Manchester Lion's Club, the Manchester and the Mountains Chamber of Commerce, BattenKill Valley Runners, and Stratton Mountain pulled off the new and invigorated Maple Leaf Half-Marathon road race, and added a 5K to it just for fun.

It's been two long days of set up, helping out with registration, answering questions, and working the finish line. In fact, I'm just as tired as if I had run the race myself! Actually, I DID run the course yesterday morning before we started putting up tents for the race, just to see how the roads and walking path looked to make sure we hadn't missed anything.

It was hot and humid today, and the runners for the half-marathon really felt the hills. But these folks just don't give up. They may walk up the steep parts or run a little slower on some sections, but they keep putting one foot in front of the other all the way to the finish.

The numerous volunteers also put in a huge effort, plus everyone was a lot of fun to work with. These folks not only know how to organize a quality event, they have a great time doing it.

If you're looking for a challenging half-marathon in a gorgeous part of the country (southwestern Vermont), put the Maple Leaf Half-Marathon on your schedule for next year! The website is http://www.manchestervtmapleleaf.com/ and it's held the first Saturday after Labor Day. See you there next year!