The Power of Friends-- Tips for the New(bie) Year Runner, Part 4
Because I'm still getting lots of questions about how I became a runner and how I lost 45 lbs last year, I'm writing a blog series, Tips for the New(bie) Year Runner. See Parts one, two and three here.
As I've mentioned before, my friends were a critical part of my journey. Even after my big treadmill epiphany, my friends were a huge part of the process. I have a lot of friends who could run a 5K without ever training. I have several friends who run five or more miles a day; and a few who run at least 50+ miles a week. They love running, and they make it look easy. These friends, my runner idols, cheered for me every step of the way. Even when I reached milestones that they had passed long, long ago, they celebrated with me.
The great thing about my friends is that they recognized that running wasn't easy for me. They could have laughed as I struggled to get up to three miles. They could have waited until I really accomplished something to support me. Instead, they applauded each small victory.
I ran my first 5K with my friend Amy, an experienced half marathoner. Rather than running a longer race that day, she entered the 5K to support me. It was cold (hmmm...it seems a lot of the races I chose wind up that way, even when it's a warm weather destination...uh...can you say "snowing during my half marathon in Orlando!"??).
I had lost another 5 lbs that week, and didn't realize the effect it would have on my clothing. (I ran the whole 3.1 miles pulling my pants up.)
I made the rookie mistake of lifting weights the day before. (Oh, did my biceps ache!)
And, Amy kept us at a pace that was a little faster than I was used to (that's another thing--Amy is an excellent pacer--she always "pulls" me through a race).
I was whiney! (I wouldn't have wanted to run with me.) But, I did it! And my runner friends, my FB friends, my LJ friends and family went wild! I set what was a challenging goal for me at the time, and achieved it. And, even though a 5K was not a big deal for many of my friends, they realized it was a huge deal to me and celebrated my accomplishment.
I found out a few months later that I had inspired a few of my experienced runner friends. It turns out, it's hard to stay motivated to run six times a week over the course of several years. My hard core runner friends were attracted to my enthusiasm for their sport. They were inspired by how excited I got over each little victory. Enthusiasm really is contagious. They cheered for me, but they got something in return--they were energized as they remembered what it was like to be a new runner.
At they gym, people noticed all the weight I'd begun to lose. Several people who were just talking and reading their way through work outs, picked up the pace. A few became runners themselves.
Even now, we all continue to push each other. When I have a bad week, I see someone who is just starting to run, or who has recently committed to getting in shape, and it inspires me to work harder. I see my friend who is seven months pregnant, who walks on the treadmill beside me, wishing she could run, and I run a little faster because I know she would if she were able. (I can't wait until she has that baby so we can run together again. She's fast and competitive!) I talk to my crazy, hard core, runner idol, and hear he's running 2000 miles this year and I immediately get out the calculator and see if that's a reasonable goal for me (I chose 1750 instead).
My friends have been a huge source of support and inspiration for me. I hope that I am able to inspire, motivate ... and cheer for... someone who needs it, just as my friends have done for me.
Tomorrow, I will tell you about all my geeky runner gadgets...my running quirks, and why my runner idols say you should not follow in my footsteps!
**For my writer friends, doesn't this sound a lot like what a critique group does, or your online support friends? I think it's a great reminder of how a little pat on the back can help a friend get their BIC, submit, take that next step...and how supporting them gives you the energy and motivation to keep plugging away.
As I've mentioned before, my friends were a critical part of my journey. Even after my big treadmill epiphany, my friends were a huge part of the process. I have a lot of friends who could run a 5K without ever training. I have several friends who run five or more miles a day; and a few who run at least 50+ miles a week. They love running, and they make it look easy. These friends, my runner idols, cheered for me every step of the way. Even when I reached milestones that they had passed long, long ago, they celebrated with me.
The great thing about my friends is that they recognized that running wasn't easy for me. They could have laughed as I struggled to get up to three miles. They could have waited until I really accomplished something to support me. Instead, they applauded each small victory.
I ran my first 5K with my friend Amy, an experienced half marathoner. Rather than running a longer race that day, she entered the 5K to support me. It was cold (hmmm...it seems a lot of the races I chose wind up that way, even when it's a warm weather destination...uh...can you say "snowing during my half marathon in Orlando!"??).
I had lost another 5 lbs that week, and didn't realize the effect it would have on my clothing. (I ran the whole 3.1 miles pulling my pants up.)
I made the rookie mistake of lifting weights the day before. (Oh, did my biceps ache!)
And, Amy kept us at a pace that was a little faster than I was used to (that's another thing--Amy is an excellent pacer--she always "pulls" me through a race).
I was whiney! (I wouldn't have wanted to run with me.) But, I did it! And my runner friends, my FB friends, my LJ friends and family went wild! I set what was a challenging goal for me at the time, and achieved it. And, even though a 5K was not a big deal for many of my friends, they realized it was a huge deal to me and celebrated my accomplishment.
I found out a few months later that I had inspired a few of my experienced runner friends. It turns out, it's hard to stay motivated to run six times a week over the course of several years. My hard core runner friends were attracted to my enthusiasm for their sport. They were inspired by how excited I got over each little victory. Enthusiasm really is contagious. They cheered for me, but they got something in return--they were energized as they remembered what it was like to be a new runner.
At they gym, people noticed all the weight I'd begun to lose. Several people who were just talking and reading their way through work outs, picked up the pace. A few became runners themselves.
Even now, we all continue to push each other. When I have a bad week, I see someone who is just starting to run, or who has recently committed to getting in shape, and it inspires me to work harder. I see my friend who is seven months pregnant, who walks on the treadmill beside me, wishing she could run, and I run a little faster because I know she would if she were able. (I can't wait until she has that baby so we can run together again. She's fast and competitive!) I talk to my crazy, hard core, runner idol, and hear he's running 2000 miles this year and I immediately get out the calculator and see if that's a reasonable goal for me (I chose 1750 instead).
My friends have been a huge source of support and inspiration for me. I hope that I am able to inspire, motivate ... and cheer for... someone who needs it, just as my friends have done for me.
Tomorrow, I will tell you about all my geeky runner gadgets...my running quirks, and why my runner idols say you should not follow in my footsteps!
**For my writer friends, doesn't this sound a lot like what a critique group does, or your online support friends? I think it's a great reminder of how a little pat on the back can help a friend get their BIC, submit, take that next step...and how supporting them gives you the energy and motivation to keep plugging away.