For the past 6 months, I’ve had the privilege of being a member of Team Awesome. Being apart of this team has been a wonderful experience. Last year, on a whim, I decided, to apply to be a member of Team Awesome. This is a group of goodwill ambassadors for the Ottawa Race Weekend. Ottawa is my hometown, and in spite of my usual protests, the place has a special place in my heart. Finishing my first ever half marathon in front of my old high school stirred something in me. Training for that first half marathon turned me into a runner. How did I, a recent non-runner, end up being a part of this amazing group of runners? Well…
Hooked on running!
I’d run the Ottawa half marathon twice, and I was HOOKED on running. I, the former non-runner, was now a runner! In the last couple of years, I’ve learned that I love to run! Not only do I love running, I also love encouraging others to get active. On my application, I wrote about my running journey and how I love to encourage other fitness late bloomers to get active. I never thought I’d be selected, but it turn out that I was wrong.
Team Awesome
Being a part of this truly awesome team, means that I’ve been documenting my training as I prepare to run the Ottawa 10K. What an incredible experience this has been! I’ve watched and been inspired by my fellow Team Awesome members. Check out my fellow Team Awesome members’ stories on the Ottawa Race weekend website:
https://www.runottawa.ca/torw/social/teamawesome
These amazing men and women ran all through this past winter’s wicked temperatures and icy sidewalks. Me? Not quite. This cold, icy winter wore on and I realized that I’d have to rely on snowshoeing and the treadmill to get my kms in. And that’s what I did. But, boy did I love reading their posts. Although I wasn’t going to run in extreme conditions, seeing the Team Awesome posts, motivated me to get off the couch on a few occasions. Thank you to my truly awesome team members! You have inspired me more than you know.
Running with buddies
In spite of my reluctance to run outside, I was very active all winter. And my love of running and fitness rubbed on a few people. My boss thought it’d be a cool idea to do a fun run as a team. Two weeks ago, some of us did just that. It was so great to see my colleagues out and enjoying themselves on a perfect spring day.
Injuries
It hasn’t been all easy though. I have a nagging injury in my right hamstring and glute. It started around the time of last year’s half marathon. I’ve been in near constant pain since then. Countless osteo sessions and sports massages have helped, but the pain is still there. I’ve started doing major stretching where I hold stretches for up to 90 seconds. Anything less than 60 seconds does not help. Rolling does not help either. The injury also means that I haven’t been running as much as I should be. So, next week’s race will be slow. But, that’s ok.
Actually, one of the things I’ve learned through running is this: in spite of obstacles (injuries, lousy weather, life issues), I never regret a run. The hard part for me is actually starting. Once I start, I’m completely immersed in the run. The runs vary greatly. Some are painfully slow. Others are amazingly fast. Some kms drag on and on. Other days, the kms fly by. Every run involves a lot of smiling and waving to other runners. Before I started running, I’d notice that runners are a very serious lot! So now that I’m a runner, I make it a point to smile and wave at every single runner.
I’m so looking forward to next week’s race weekend. I’ll get to meet my fellow Team Awesome members in person, enjoy a variety of race activities, run my 10 km, and even volunteer on Sunday. Then, it’ll be time to start training for the Army Run in September. My sons and I are running the Normandy Challenge. This will involve running a 5 km, and then immediately follow that with a 10 km. I can’t wait!
You’re an inspiration Sonia! I was catching up on mi filing yesterday and came across my folder of race results in which was a news article about a woman who spoke at a running club meeting i attended in 2003. She was in her 80’s then and doing ultra distance events as well as continuing half’s and regular marathons. She didn’t start running until the age of 55! She passed me half way through an event a few weeks later but paused to chat and encourage me when I recognized her. Those kinds of stories keep me going!
Thank you, my friend! I remember when you were training for the marathon a few years back, and thinking, “wow, I wish I could run like that!” And now look at me. lol
I also love stories like the one you mention. I so admire someone who goes outside his/her comfort zone and does something they never thought they would do. I love running. All of it. The exhilaration, the frustration, the little gains, the big wins (few as they are!), the camaraderie of fellow runners. I hope we can do a race sometime!