Thank You, New Runners! And Where Do We Go From Here?

Team Remillard, getting shirts and certificates ready for our "graduating" new runners.

Thirty minutes. The workout for our new runners tonight couldn't be much more simple. But if we think back, we'll remember the program beginning with 60 seconds of jogging, inter-spliced with 90 second walk breaks.

So you've come a long way, new runners. Congratulations!

Over the weekend, Kate and Abe spent a few hours getting packages together for all of the nearly-graduated runners. With a shiny new EARC shirt to wear and a finishers certificate to display, they can now show off their accomplishment.

Over the past few weeks, Kate and I have repeated that our new runners are an inspiration. They inspire themselves, each other, and their friends and family through their positive new habits. And they inspire us. Kate and I have both been running for the majority of our lives. We met through running, and continue to organize our life around the sport. Our mornings are divided in to "her time" and "his time" on the road. We mark time with terms like "intervals," "long run," "recovery phase," and "taper." And we quite often vacation to marathons, since I have the loopy goal of running one in every state.

But of all of the running memories that we have, the new runners group ranks near the top. To have the opportunity to share this gift with other people; to see folks progress from barely being able to finish a lap on the track, to crossing the finish line of a 5k; to see new friendships form on the track. It is all quite...well...inspiring.

My only disappointment is that I will not be able to attend the Homecoming 5k this Saturday. I will be in Denver at a conference. But I look forward to seeing you the following Wednesday, and for the many Wednesdays to come. Now that you're part of "the club," it is our hope that you continue making the habit of running, your habit of running.

Along these lines, once you finish on Saturday, take time to celebrate your accomplishment.  Then--after about 5 minutes--set new goals. As I see it, you have three viable options.

1. Maintain. Keep doing approximately 30-minutes of jogging at least 3 times per week.  And keep running 5ks. This second step is important. Races help keep you motivated. They give you something to train for.  Each winter, I hit a point where I DO NOT want to step outside for a run. It's usually around this point when I sign up for a spring marathon. If I don't have something forcing me out the door or on to the treadmill (or as I call it, the "dreadmill"), then I'll pack it in. So keep an eye on this blog for upcoming 5ks, or bookmark sites like Miles of Smiles, the Runner's High, the Indiana Road Runners, the Nittany Valley Running Club, and the Hollidaysburg Area YMCA.
2. Improve your 5k. The 5k is a great distance. It's long enough for the challenge of a distance run, but short enough that you don't wreck your body. If you're at a point where you'd like to improve your 5k time, then start exploring training programs like Hal Higdon's "Intermediate" 5k program. If you scan the schedule, you'll notice that he has Wednesdays reserved for interval training. I know of a certain club that does intervals every Wednesday...
3. Go longer. How about a 10k? Or a half-marathon? Yes, if you've done the C2K5 program, you can do either of these distances. And the Hollidaysburg YMCA hosts a 10k and half on October 5th. Or maybe you'd like to travel to a race. The website Marathon Guide is the most comprehensive source that I know of for races of all distances (despite the site's name) across the nation. Again, for training programs, I point you to Hal Higdon's website.

So the message here is quite simple: Keep on running! As the weather turns colder this year, we are hoping to maintain our Wednesday runs in some form. One idea is to meet each week at the gazebo in the middle of Ebensburg for "Winter Wednesdays." We could run the Turkey Trot course, do hill repeats, or something along these lines.  

For all of this to be successful, we will need some help from our new EARCites. If you're interested in training for a 10k or half-marathon, organize a training group. Find times to meet as a group for runs. We'll get the word out on this blog and on our social media sites. If you're hoping to maintain your current fitness, take over the leadership of Wednesday workouts. And become our "new runner liaison" for anyone who comes to the track for the first time.

What ever your ideas are for helping EARC grow and include more people, share them with us. We welcome innovation and new ideas.

Happy trails, friends!