When we first moved to Lubbock 3 months ago I was optimistic. I thought we would move in, immediately find a church home, make some friends, love our jobs, and life would be like every picture perfect movie that concludes with happy endings. When the first month went by and things weren't exactly lining up the way I had pictured, I decided to take action. Sasha meet the Run Club.
I signed up for the run club for two reasons. I really needed to get my runs done in the morning, but don't like/Zeb wouldn't allow me to run in the morning solo. Love him for caring about my safety. I also signed up in hopes of creating more of a social base. Success! On both ends of the spectrum.
This run club started as something I wasn't sure about. I was positive I would be the slowest runner and 5 am mornings sounded painful. I am a morning person, but it is getting me to go to bed at night that makes it difficult. However, it has become the thing I look forward to most in my week.
Picture this, a group of people in their mid 20's (I think I am the youngest) all the way up to about their mid 50's meeting you every Monday and Wednesday at 5 AM and Saturdays at 7:30 AM. They are encouraging, cheering you on as they pass you (which happens to me a lot!), setting and achieving goals with you, and pushing themselves to new levels. They talk and laugh with you during stretching and check in to make sure you will be there the next day. When you miss a day they ask where you were. A running coach that is a new Mom, ran until she was 8 months pregnant, and was an Olympian. She asks how your feeling after your runs and provides the best guidance she can when your body is acting up. She provides weekly emails with workouts to keep your running body in the best health. Can you picture this?
I look forward to this every single week. It is more than people to run with so I am not afraid in the morning and more than a new social base. It is a support network with people who have similar goals. It is feeling like you are part of something bigger. It is realizing that your running fears are theirs too. It is a smile before the sun comes up and a pat on your sweaty back at the end of a long run. It is my run club.
When I started training in January for a half marathon, I always wondered if I would get to a place where it didn't feel like so much work. Now, I am just under 3 months out from my race in Phoenix and if I don't do the Panhandle 1/2 marathon here in Lubbock next month then it will be my first race and it no longer feels like work. It feels like my escape. I am so looking forward to hitting that goal and pushing through to others. And to think, this girl used to hate running.
