Jason leading his Learn to Run Clinic group out of homebase with friends Nette and Annissa.
Walk!
Run!
Jason looking strong and showing good biomechanics
Second to the left is Alice, a Boston marathon finisher in her late sixties who's a great inspiration for all new runners at Runningroom running club.
Nette, Jason and I hit a nearby trail for our 10k run after the nice warm up with the Learn to Run group.
Jason, myself (notice my six pack, lol), Annissa (my half marathon clinic teacher) and Boston finisher Alice
We had a blast enjoying the warm weather, the shade of the trees,wooden bridges, birds chirping, other runners, and lots of talk about running.
Behind is one of several wooden bridges that we passed on the trail during our run.
This beautiful,sunny Sunday morning, I had the privilege and good fortune to join my runner friends Jason and Nette do the Sunday walk/run of the Learn To Run (LTR) Clinic group on its 2nd Sunday session. Jason, who teaches the clinic started running almost the same time as myself 2 years ago and was a member of the same half marathon clinic that I attended a year before. Nette, on the otherhand has been my ever reliable LSD running partner, who's also joining me in the new marathon clinic next week.
I was also happy to meet the always smiling Annissa, my half marathon clinic coach last year, who I am very fond off (coz she was so nice to tolerate my slow pace and ran side by side with me on the LSD runs in her clinic last year). Also joining us in the LTR walk/run was Alice, a Boston marathon finisher a few times, who at 67 is a great inspiration for all of us new runners at the Runningroom running club. When I see the words courage and determination, I think of Alice. She was hit by a vehicle more than a year ago during an evening training run that caused her serious injuries that prevented her from running the 2008 Boston Marathon (she ran it the year before) , for which she qualified for. Slowly, from being comatose, and then bed ridden for a time, she's bounced right back thru sheer will to walk and run again. I won't be surprised if she qualifies and runs Boston again in a year or two.
After the nice warm up walk/run with about 20 or more very enthusiastic and quite happy group of new runners, we returned to homebase. As I look at the new runners' tired but contented faces, I smiled, remembering that I looked and felt the same 2 years ago after our walk/runs. Next week, the runs in this LTR clinic will be increased to 2 minutes and every week thereafter, 1 minute is added until they are able to do 1 minute walks and 10 minute runs. Then, they can apply what they learned from the running clinic by running a 5k "graduation" race at the end of the clinic. From this new batch of LTR runners, some you'll never see again, but some will have a small spark in their hearts that will turn into a continuously raging fire that will make them runners for life.
Jason,Nette and myself then hit the trail close to homebase for another easy 10k. Overall, it was a very fulfilling day.
Sounds like you had a lot of fun on Sunday. Good luck with the marathon training next week. I really enjoyed my first marathon yesterday in Ottawa. It was an amazing feeling crossing the finish line. I see now why people run so many marathons. It is still great to hear how far you have come, comparing your journey to mine and so many others.
ReplyDeleteCongrats Techgui! I'm happy to hear that you completed your first marathon without a hitch. I can't wait to have my first marathon under my belt hopefully in September at the Scotiabank Waterfront. Are you thinking of running another marathon this year?
ReplyDeleteThanks Bong. I know you will do great at Scotia. When you put your mind to it, you can acomplish anything. Right now I know I am running at the Toronto Goodlife, but am debating between trying for a new PB in the half marathon (which I got at Goodlife last year) or to complete the full marathon (which the route looked to be excellent). Taking the next week or two off to make my decision and then start off fresh in June. My legs are really going to enjoy the time off.
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