My friend Sue is helping a group of friends/coworkers get to the start line of their first half marathon this Fall. She’s been running with them, often doing double duty, as she checks on runners who might be having trouble or just a little bit slower than the others. She has excitedly told me how their long runs have been going and that she “thinks they’re ready”.
In 2009, I ran with Sue during her first marathon at Disney. Ironically, through all the cold and harshness of our New England weather, we got a terribly humid marathon weekend that year. It was a tough race that year and the weather took its toll on the runners. We saw too many runners down and out, being tended to by EMT’s, whisked away just a couple miles from the Finish, and just looking like death. I remember looking at Sue at about the 23ish mile range – in the Boardwalk area – and saying, “That’s why we walked when we did”.
I’ll never forget the gratifying feeling I had that day, that I had something positive to contribute to my friend’s first marathon experience. She didn’t need EMT’s or supplemental oxygen. She didn’t break. She finished and, if my memory serves me correctly, she finished smiling (though she was screaming for a Diet Coke!). Sue did all the work; she trained all Fall and some of Winter, she gave up her weekend mornings for long runs, and she carried herself 26.2 miles. I merely served as someone who had been there/done that and who could confidently assure her “You’re fine” and “You WILL finish”.
So when Sue told me she was “coaching” her friends’ first half-marathon training, I exclaimed, “Hey, you’re ME!” And she replied, “I know, cool right?”
Paying it forward….
That is so cool and awesome and motivating! I also had that same opportunity when I moved to Alabama. A couple of my friends came to watch me finish the Mobile marathon, having each taken part in one of the relay teams. It was a terribly cold, cold day. Many runners had passed on doing it and many had to buy "new" warmer clothes. Ironically, I had to run in gloves, vest, hat and neck warmer the entire way! They waited to find me at 2 spots-and of course it is just that short, little bit of familiarity/cheering that you need at those moments. After finishing, they were hooked and wanted to run one. I trained with one of the women for the New Orleans marathin which was only 7 weeks away- and believe me that next week-end running 14 miles on my tired legs was hard. However, not wanting to deter her, I sucked it up, did all the training sessions with her and watched her have a great marathon experience that February! Now I am training with another terrific buddy and we are "enjoying" our long runs, looking forward to Savannah in November. Everyone out there should try to find the opportunity to take part in something like this- it is a truly gratifying experience. So glad you shared the story!!! You gals rock!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Carla. You totally GET IT! And I'm looking forward to cheering Sue & her "team" on for the half, while my hubby runs the full. It's a win-win all around :)
ReplyDeleteThat is absolutely awesome!!! I'll have to get tips from you when I run a full. I'll never forget when a friend of mine told me I'd inspired her to train for a half...best feeling ever. Congrats on paying it forward and to Sue on her coaching debut!
ReplyDeleteOoh, that's cool! Congrats on a job well done! I've had a few blog readers tell me I've inspired them to start running, but I'm still waiting for them to actually start. I'm gonna go gently prod some people.
ReplyDeleteHow cool is that! I'm hoping to be able to coach a friend along to her first half next year - such a cool feeling to be able to support others!
ReplyDeleteYay! And who knows, maybe those guys will go on to coach other people. It's like a running pyramid scheme, except in a good way! :)
ReplyDeleteThat is so great - my dad always called it "Planting seeds". You never know which seeds will grow up to sow more seeds, you just have to keep planting.
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