You Are Ready!

I can't tell you how many years I wanted to be a runner. I think I have every book on the topic from every famous runner from John Bingham to Bart Yasso. All of them are very motivating and inspiring. I would go out and buy new running shoes, mark my calendar with key dates and print out my training plans.  I would get a couple of "runs" in then I would stop. It was hard and I looked stupid (so I told myself). I was fat and people would point and laugh (I don't think they did). I wasn't a REAL runner (whatever that is).

I wanted to BE a runner. I think I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what that is... certainly a subscription to Runners World would tell me. Again, I would pour over the magazines as they came in the mail... I had all of them... Women's Running, Trail Runner, Running Times...

Certainly there was a secret in those pages somewhere. What is a runner? How can I be a runner?

The more I read the more overwhelmed I got. Which shoes were the best? Heel striker or mid-foot striker? How do you fuel and hydrate? Long slow miles or sprint intervals? I was paralyzed by information.

I think my husband's patience wore out. I remember one day at the beginning of 2009 I was agonizing over yet some other detail I could not wrap my head around. He said, "why don't stop reading about running and actually go run." Hmm. Interesting concept. Just run.

I started off by myself run/walking alone around Harmon Field. It was fine - just me and my music, but it got harder to get motivated to stay out there. One night I was out running and a group of runners came by and asked me to join them. I remember the day like it was yesterday. I remember saying, " I am too slow."   They insisted and I went. I was invited the next week to a training run around Lake Lanier. I remember saying, "I am not ready". The response, "You are ready".

That was the beginning of the Tryon Running Club. A group of runners with a vision to get others running. That is what we still are trying to do. We want you to know that you are ready to lace up your shoes and join us. Maybe you have never run before but WANT to run. Maybe you just want to run/walk. Either way... we are here and we want you to meet you!

Our next social run is coming up this Saturday. We hope to see you there!

Jan 5th 8:30 am
Meet at Open Road Coffee in Tryon
We will be doing a short run/walk beginning and ending at Open Road Coffee, so we can socialize afterward. Please come out and meet us, bring a new run/walker, all are welcome and no one will be left behind.