OK, so let me start out by saying…I don’t want what I am about to say to sound like I am BRAGGING…b/c I MOST CERTAINLY am not. It just is what it is.
So a new “season” of the running school started up last night. 10 weeks of preparing for the Women’s Only 5K on October 4th. This running school is done by my Janes coach…but it is a HUGE school! Huge b/c instead of being $100, it is only $50 for 10 wks. And it was promoted all over town. And when I say HUGE…it is HUGE! My last school/class had about 30 students….there are 200+ signed up for this. So many that they had to break the ladies up in “groups” based on your assessment of how far/long you could run a mile.Well, we went out last night and it was a bit overwhelming….and if it was that for me, I can only imagine what it was like for new runners. There were ladies everywhere….it was loud b/c people were showing up last minute to register…the little PA system was not loud enough so we couldn’t hear a lot of what the coaches were saying etc. But I think after this wk it will be easier b/c there won’t be all the hustle & bustle of registration etc.
So we were broken into our groups based on our running abilities. I had not done the assessment last week b/c it was for new runners…but I told our coach I was running anywhere from 25-36 mins at a time without stopping. She said that was all she needed to “place me” in a group. Well…Place me she did. And , ATTENTION: THIS IS WHERE THE “I AM NOT BRAGGING” PART COMES IN.
There were about 8-10 groups I would say. From basic “I can run 1-4 minutes and I am dying “ (which is pretty much where I was in April) all the way to “I run 3-7 miles + at a time and I am a HS gym teacher and my abs look like a 6 pack”. HMM…can you guess which group *I* was put into? You guessed it…the “I have 6 pack abs” group. UMM…NOT me I tell you!!! But the good thing is…another lady from our Janes group was in that group too. And as we looked around we realized we were the little baby gazelles in a sea of lions. Gazelles can run, but the lions are big and can beat them down! Yikes. So we talked amongst ourselves and freaked out a bit….but decided to stick it out. We ran with the group and it was ok. I mean, we only ran 2.5 miles (never thought I would say that). It was only about 78 degrees but the HUMIDITY was awful. ICK And my leg…what is up with my right leg? It HURT. But I pushed through. And I know my friend in the group was the last one in out of 22 people in our group. I think I was maybe the 18th person in at the end. So that was not fun. I am used to being in more of the front half of the group. BOO
So afterwards, friend & I chatted again…we knew we were in the wrong group. We debated about what to do. So we found the Janes coach and asked her about bumping down a group. She said we could if we wanted. So we went to meet that coach one group down. She said her group had run 1 mile out and 1 mile back. HMM…seems too easy. PLUS, she was not very friendly…I mean she was cordial I guess but I expected some PEP and happiness and “yeah come on and join my group!”. What I got from her attitude was “great. 2 more girls in my group to deal with. hmmph!”So I am stuck…should I stay with the advanced team and challenge myself and work on distance and going farther? OR Bump down a group to where it is “safe” and I don’t feel threatened?
HELP…comments please…what should I DO!!???
edited to add: I am not so much concerned about which coach, I mean YEAH I would like a NICE coach...but just more which group I should do...the more challenging hard one or the easy one? HELP
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7 comments:
I say stick with the coach you like. (I was going to say "go with your gut" but then I thought you might think I was commenting on your not quite "6 pack" abs.:) You are doing great and (by the way) you are looking great too. Mostly have fun!!
Stay with the coach you like and challenge yourself. You have been working so hard -- KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!
Okay so I've know you for...hmmm more than half your life, going on two-thirds of your life. I ABSOLUTELY think you know the answer to this without asking anyone. You have taken on every challenge in your life so far with so much energy you make me tired just thinking about it. Whether it is your family, community, whatever!! This is a tiny mole-hill of a thing compared to some of the things you have been through--I say keep it up, challenge yourself and maybe one day I'll be in some kind of shape again that I can challenge you, ha! I love you!! Wow oh wow, I'm proud!
thanks everyone...and stepmonster katie too...Daddy said he tried to comment and it wouldn't let him LOL
I would rather be challenged than not. I consider it best to be the underdog than the one expected to do the best. Just my opinion...
i agree to stay with the coach you like. it's hard being the underdog (believe me - i've been there. my hubby used to run track and cross country and that is typically who i run with. needless to say. i'm slooow and he's not). also, you will probably find that the faster runners help you stay motivated bc you'll want to keep up. plus, you'll be a gazelle before you know it. i think what you are doing is awesome! you are doing such a great job -- at some point i would love to get involved, bc it's been forever since i've done any running!
You are going to be a ROCKSTAR when this is over! I'm in that one minute group. I didn't actually do the assessment because of my foot but figured it was right for me. I always start off too gung ho and poop out. I wanted to do it right this time and work on taming my asthma at the same time. Our coach really stunk the first week. I think she just wasn't a public speaker. Someone provided feedback and now we have a second. I just started my first run on Thursday with 2 minutes running and 4 walking. I thought last week was much better than the first week. Keep looking out for me. My group meets on the right side of the parking lot, in a parking space right by the Country Park walkway.
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