Motivation

Why would any sane person sign up for a half-marathon training group that starts in early January? Even though southwestern Vermont is fondly known as 'the banana belt' when it comes to Vermont weather patterns, it's still winter in New England and that means snow, cold, and what the weather guys fondly call a 'wintry mix' (sleet, ice, freezing rain, thundersnow).

The 30 women in our group list a variety of reasons for setting off on a goal to complete a half-marathon:

• improve stamina
• friends talked them into it
• want to be fit and healthy
• the challenge of completing a 13.1 mile event
• the company of other active women
• group support and motivation
• enjoy outside exercise in the winter
• lose weight
• meet new people
• have fun!

As we start our third week of training, I'm hearing that everyone is making progress on all of these goals:

• they run farther up Center Hill before they need to walk
• they've walked or run farther than ever before in their lives - 5 miles!
• they're meeting new friends and re-establishing friendships
• they get out of bed when the temperature is -8 because they know the group is counting on them
• we've been out in the snow, wind, sun, dark, rain:  and we're still moving forward

Plus we're having a lot of fun! We went to a pancake breakfast together after one of our weekend runs, and we have a potluck breakfast scheduled for early February. We talk our way through the miles, and even laugh about frozen eyelashes.

9 more weeks until race day!