Maple Leaf half-marathon and 5K: our hometown race

Yesterday 38 women from my running groups over the past 5 years joined about 1000 other people to participate in the Maple Leaf Half-marathon and 5K in Manchester, VT. This is our local half-marathon, supported by the Manchester and the Mountains Chamber of Commerce, the local Lions Club, and our local running group, the BattenKill Valley Runners. One participant said we must have had almost as many volunteers as we did runners, and they're not far off. This event is truly a community effort, with fire departments, rescue squads, high school sports teams, community groups, and dedicated individuals volunteering their time and energy to put on a quality race.

This year I volunteered with the organizing committee, helped out at registration on Friday evening, and started Saturday morning by placing orange highway cones, no parking signs, and race direction signs along the route. Then came helping out at registration, answering questions from visiting runners, cheering on the walkers who started at 8am, placing volunteers holding pace signs for the 9am running start, and directing the 5K runners onto their last turn before the finish. All of this before 10am!

I spent the next 3 hours cheering on the half-marathon runners and walkers as they finished their race. Among the 1000 participants were 35 women from my running group. Once a member of Training for More, you're always a part of this fun-loving, energetic group.

some of the group before the race start

I watched women with big smiles speed up as they neared the finish. Women who joined hands with their friends, finishing the last few steps of the 13.1 miles together. Women I haven't seen all summer, who gave me a big smile and even stopped for a hug before they crossed the finish line. Women who struggled with blisters, cramped calf and hamstring muscles, and stomach issues but kept moving forward. Women wearing our team hat, visor, or t-shirt, or wearing a shirt from one of the many races we've done together. Women running with their husband or fiance. Women running with their children. Women talking, smiling and laughing, taking pictures and video. Women walking and running to set a PR, continue their quest to become a half-fanatic or reach a new moon level (you have to read about it to believe it), to support the local race and the charities it benefits, to encourage a friend, to demonstrate to themselves that they're strong and healthy, and to have fun. 

I started running in college because I was in Army ROTC and that required running - lots of running. I kept running because friends encouraged me to run, I craved the peace and quiet of running in the country on little-traveled roads, and running allowed me to eat just about anything I wanted. When I started the Training for More group, I expected fewer than 10 women to join, and I never expected it would expand into an ongoing, cohesive group of women who never cease to amaze me.

We didn't have a specific training group for today's races, I didn't organize group runs, or send out email instructions. They did it all on their own, or together in small groups. As each of them passed me on the course with the finish line in sight, I cheered, clapped, and shouted encouragement. Once they finished their race, we gathered together and continued cheering not only for women in our group, but for every person who came by. Congratulations to each of you who finished your race yesterday. Wear your finisher's medal with pride!

A day of racing

The women in the spring training group had their pick of a 5K or 10K race today, and were joined by several women from the marathon and half-marathon groups who competed in a half-marathon. It's not often I can stand in one spot and cheer for the racers in a bunch of different distances.

The Crowley Road Races in nearby Rutland, VT roll four different race distances into one morning. Everything starts off at 8am:  the kids 1 mile run, 5K, 10K, and half-marathon. The kids start and finish in the middle of downtown Rutland to the cheers of hundreds of parents and friends. The other three races start at different points, with the courses converging on the finish in downtown Rutland.

Large races are exciting with lots of people and volunteers lining the race course, but they also make seeing your friends finish, and then finding them to celebrate after the race really difficult to the crowds of people. The Crowley Races are small and friendly, with a local band providing upbeat music, friendly volunteers handing out Gatorade and bagels, and the announcer calling out the names of people as they finish.

One of the highlights is meeting legendary Bill Rodgers who runs the 10K and then hangs around to sign autographs, pose for pictures, and talk running until the last person finishes and has a chance to talk with him. In large races the elite athletes have their own porta-potties and stay out of sight of the rest of the pack. Bill Rodgers hangs out with the pack, grabs his own water at the finish, and seems to really enjoy both running and talking with fellow runners.

This is the fifth year of our women's running group and today we had women from the latest spring training group running or walking in the 5K and 10K, BJ from the half-marathon group who became a half-fanatic today after finishing her third half-marathon in 90 days, women who ran in the winter half-marathon group and worked on speed in the 10K, women who finished a marathon in the past 3 weeks and dropped down to the half-marathon, one woman who was injured in marathon training and completed her first half-marathon today, and two women from past running groups who ran the 10K. All we were missing was a few children in the kids' race.

BJ the latest half-fanatic

The marathon group started training together 8 months ago in October 2011. Our race season started in April with the Westfield half-marathon and moved on to the Flying Pig marathon, Shires marathon, and Vermont City marathon. The Crowley Races mark the end of our group training season, but it's definitely not the end of racing for the women in our group. They're entering all sorts of races, from the fun and muddy Renegade Playground Challenge to local triathlons, bike events, trail runs, and road races of varying distances.

Vermont is plagued by tics who carry lyme disease, but the women in our group have been bitten by a friendly and healthy bug:  the running bug. There's no stopping a woman who pinned on a race number, competed, and crossed the finish line feeling fantastic!

Relay races are about more than running

Running Mary to the finish

Yesterday five of us from our Training for More running groups finished the inaugural Old Route Relay, a 50 mile loop run in Hinesburg, VT and the surrounding area. Gail, Fern and I are relay veterans, having completed at least one of the 100 on 100 (100 miles on Vermont Route 100) relay races over the previous three years. Mary and Faith were our 'relay virgins', ready to complete their first relay race.

A relay event is more than simply taking turns covering a 50 mile course. We started at 11am on Saturday when we met at Fern's house to load up her car with overnight essentials, gear for the relay, and food - lots of food. Relay teams are self-sufficient, providing our own water, food, Gu, sports drinks, etc. We plan ahead for any possibility and operate with the idea that more (food) is always better.

Along the drive up to Hinesburg we talked about past races, our current training programs, family, travel, work; the talk never faltered and there was lots of laughter and fun. As we drove the course, the temperature dropped almost 30 degrees and a light rain started to fall. Perfect running weather! We noted the hills, the transition areas, the possible places to pee, and where we could stop for more food if necessary.

Fern took us to one of her favorite running stores, Fleet Feet in Essex Junction, where we resisted temptation and purchased only new flavors of gels and old-standby sports drinks. Dinner at Three Tomatoes involved lots of pasta and water to fuel the next day's run. We were in bed by 9am, with a 4am wake-up call.

The day of the race we loaded up the car at 4:30am and drove the 11 miles to the start in complete darkness and temperatures in the low 30's, glad that we scouted the course the previous day. Fern, our first runner, had no time to be nervous as the race director lined up the group starting at 5:30am, gave us a few instructions, and yelled "Go!".

A relay is a complex undertaking. Each of us ran in order:  Fern #1, Gail #2, Faith #3, Lynn #4, Mary #5. As Fern started running to the first transition area 7.2 miles away, the rest of us took a few minutes for one last visit to the restroom, climbed into the car, and drove off in search of Fern. Whenever we passed a runner, we rolled down the window and cheered them on. We drove to the first turn, parked the car, and as we saw Fern run up we spilled out of the car, cheering her on and making sure she made the correct turn. Then we climbed back into the car, drove ahead, and repeated the process until we reached the transition area.

Hundreds of times during the day we repeating the following:  climb in the car, drive ahead of the runner, stop and wait for the runner, cheer them on. Sometimes the routine varied:  we stopped for gas, to purchase scones and muffins at a bakery, to use an indoor bathroom. We changed out of cold and wet running clothes in the car. We drank chocolate milk, ate energy bars and pretzels, shared hard-boiled eggs and string cheese, and drank water constantly to refuel and get ready for the next run.

The only quiet time was when I was running. This was the first year of the Old Route Relay, and there were only 32 teams. We ran by ourselves the vast majority of the time, periodically seeing other relay teams and exchanging hellos and information. Most of the route was along rural roads with very little traffic. The weather stayed cold and overcast, with fog and clouds obscuring any possible mountain views. As I ran along, pushing the pace faster than usual because this IS a race, after all, I noticed the cows in the green fields, the smell of fresh manure, and the daffodils blooming by the farmhouses. Periodically the silence was broken by the sound of our car coming up behind me, and my teammates cheering out the windows. "Are you OK?" "Do you need any water?" "You look great!". Then it was back to listening to my feet crunch in the gravel as I continued the run.

Tradition holds that everyone on the team runs the last few yards together. This was easy for Mary, our last runner, since she had built up speed running down the hill and had the finish line in her sights. The rest of us moved more slowly as we tried to work the kinks out of sore, tired, and cold joints and muscles. We managed to cross the finish line together, cementing the fact that we were a team.

Mary, Gail, Fern, Faith and Lynn after the finish



The day wasn't over! We drove south toward home, looking for a restaurant with hot food after a long day snacking on food from our cooler. The conversation continued, this time telling stories of the various routes we ran that day, the other relay teams we met, and of course more laughter. We pulled back into Fern's driveway at 5:30pm on Sunday, 30 hours after we left.

Running is often a solo endeavor as we fit time to run into busy lives. The running groups give us the opportunity for weekly group training runs, and we often go to races together. Even if we run alongside someone else during the race, it's still an individual experience.

A relay is a group event from start to finish, changing and enriching the entire race experience. After so much time spent together, we appreciate the details of each other's lives. Our friendships deepen as we cover the miles. Add another medal to my collection, another t-shirt to my drawer, and memories to be savored as I run again this week.

Another half-marathon completed!

39 women from our half-marathon and marathon training groups gathered in Westfield, MA for the race on April 1st.

The Boys and Girls Club was a wonderful spot to get our gear together, stretch, and prepare for the race. Seasoned racers shared advice, everyone double-checked to make sure they had their number pinned on the front of their shirt, and lots of laughter helped calm pre-race jitters.

At 10am, the walkers started their race to enthusiastic cheering.

Then one hour later, the runners started as part of the largest field ever at this race - almost 900 of us!

We had perfect race day conditions:  temperatures right around 50, overcast skies, and little to no wind. The course was beautiful, and the three hills in the first four miles were easy compared to our hilly roads in southwestern Vermont. Everyone finished feeling strong, some with smiles and cheers, others with emotions overflowing.

Every year I'm amazed at what these women have accomplished. They not only trained - outside - in freezing temperatures, snowstorms, sleet, rain, and the hottest March temperatures on record - but they also juggled family committments and work to make time for themselves. They made new friends, cemented old friendships, told stories of blisters and Gu, and through everything helped each other reach their goals.

As they cross through the finish line to the cheers of their family, friends and the group, they realize what they've just done. They not only walked or ran 13.1 miles today, but they accumulated  over 100 miles of walking and running in their training this winter.

Finishing a half-marathon is a really big deal. Finishing it with your training group is amazing.

I'm not a hugger, but after a race I give out - and receive - hugs from everyone. Big hugs with lots of tears due to the range of emotions everyone is feeling:  relief, pride, joy, amazement.

13.1 miles.  Been there, done that.

Why do we run? Because we can!

The group of hardy women training for a May marathon throughout the Vermont winter decided to order bright blue headbands or hats with the words "Because I can" emblazoned across the front. Deciding on a color took 2 weeks, as we narrowed down the choices to something that everyone liked. Coming up with the words to put on the front of our headgear took longer, going through several possibilities before we finally settled on "Because I can".

Troy, Alisa and Kim after finishing 18 miles - modeling their "Because I can" headbands

Why do I run marathons? Because I can.
Why do I run with a group of women? Because I can.
Why do I spend around 5 hours on a weekend morning running with my friends? Because I can.

Each of us has many reasons why we run, and why we run specific distances or races. Boil those hundreds of reasons down, similiar to to the sap from the maple sugar trees that Vermonters are currently boiling down into maple syrup, and you get one, sweet, deliciously heady reason: 

Because I can.

Conversation over a 16 mile run

Our 16 mile run today on the Shires marathon course was like a slinky - one that talks.

We started off in small groups, larger groups, pairs, and a couple of women who prefer to run on their own. "Watch out for the ice!", "car behind us", and "wow - look at that view" were shouted out to the line of 12 women stretching down the road.

Over the 16 mile course some of us caught up to those in front, and we all ran at the same pace for a few minutes to talk and laugh. Then we'd separate again as someone took a walk break, we headed up a hill at various speeds, or someone else felt like running a bit faster. At one point I stopped to take off my shoe to remove a large stone, debated the merits of catching up to the group in front of me, and opted to wait for the group I heard behind me - their laughter brightened my day as much as the sunshine.

After the run, Mandy and Patty said the 6 of us in front of them looked like a flock of geese as we ran down the middle of Old Depot Road. I have many favorite parts of the Shires course, but the 8 miles on dirt roads from the railroad tracks on Airport Road to the end of Old Depot Road are at the top of the list. There's little to no traffic, the roads curve and wind through farmland and forests, and the view of the Green Mountains is gorgeous. Plus we can run down the middle of the road if we please.

Troy caught up to us and ran a few feet in front for a few minutes, looking over her shoulder to join the conversation. She sped up a hill, then jogged in circles waiting for us to join her - the conversation was too interesting to miss.

We talked about religion, the Komen Foundation and Planned Parenthood, a daughter whose phone was stolen on the NY subway, the amount of snow in Colorado compared to our lack of snow here, compression clothing, our favorite flavor of Gu, when we first started our menstrual cycle and what it's like to go through menopause. As someone from the group in front of us slowed down, she was drawn seamlessly into the conversation.

Once we reached the Stewart's in Arlington, our endpoint for the day, we continued talking while we stretched, changed into dry clothes, drank chocolate milk and ate our favorite recovery foods. We kept to our talking slinky ways as women joined the group, went outside to their cars, came back inside, cheered as the next person finished her 16 miles, figured out carpooling, and made plans for the next run.

20 women running 16 miles on beautiful Vermont roads on a sunny winter morning. I'm still smiling.