4 Good Reasons to Join 4 Miler Training

Reason # 1: You have breasts.

The Women’s 4 Miler Training Program is for women only, so right away you are relieved of a certain amount of anxiety about performance and appearance. More importantly, however, is that the Charlottesville Track Club sponsored Women’s Four Miler Training Program (heretofore referred to as the W4MTP) occurs in conjunction with the Women’s Four Miler race. The race raises awareness about and funds for breast cancer research, treatments and outreach programs. Last year over $300,000 was raised – all of which stayed in this community, going directly to the UVA Breast Care Center to support cutting edge treatments and programs.

Reason #2: Any movement is good movement.

One of the prevailing themes you will hear as you gather at the track on Saturday mornings is the need to qualify one’s efforts. I’ve been guilty of this myself. Everyone is worried about not being fast enough, not being able to keep up, or looking foolish. Nothing could be further from the truth.

You will find yourself in the midst of the most positive and encouraging experience of your life. Who couldn’t use a little patch of sunshine like that in their week? So if you have legs that work, thank God for them and use them. If you have hands that work, use them to clap or wave to another in encouragement. If all you can muster is a smile for a sister – then work it. There is no effort too small or insignificant to make a difference.

Reason #3: You may need a reminder of what really lies within.

You may be familiar with the words: “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Well, with all due respect our Lord and Savior, I think often the opposite is true. We indulge in limiting beliefs about ourselves, that we aren’t good enough or capable enough to accomplish certain things. I’m here to tell you, you will amaze yourself with what you can achieve if you are faithful enough to just show up. You will find something inside yourself that will push you just a little bit farther than you thought you could go. You may awaken from a life through which you had been sleepwalking. You may remember who you really are.

Reason #4: It’s not all about you.

Many women sign up for the training program and/or the race in memory of a loved one they lost to breast cancer, or to honor a survivor, or maybe in gratitude for having survived cancer themselves. Maybe you just want to get in shape and this seems within reach.

If you have even a nanosecond of guilt over taking this time for yourself, or believe your time is better spent running your kids around to their activities or sublimating your needs to everyone else’s – I’ve got news for you: Taking care of yourself is not selfish; it is the first and most important act of stewardship you have on this planet. If it is your responsibility and/or pleasure to care for a spouse, children, aging parents, a job, volunteer activities and all the other demands of a woman’s life, then it is your responsibility to take care of the body that carries you through those committments. You will feel better. You will have more energy. You may lose a couple of pounds. You will definitely have a glow about you as evidence that you are fully alive, and everyone in your circle of influence will benefit.

Opening Day is June 20th, 7:45am at the UVa track. Go to the W4MTP website for more information. If you have questions or need a little encouragement, feel free to contact me directly at mcfulton@yahoo.com.

Advice for Late Bloomers

I was frankly surprised to see a recent RunnersWorld poll asking how people got started running. Most began in school, probably high school, but certainly as kids. Not as many took up running “late in life”. I find myself again an outlier (maybe not quite of the Malcolm Gladwell sort).

I’ve had occasions to run throughout my life. Beyond the irrepressible urge to run as a child, I first tried deliberate running in high school. I had always been a cheerleader and was feeling the need to prove myself as “real” athlete. I went out for track, the only spring sport that didn’t involve a whole team relying on my expertise. I worked out with some gifted athletes. I was not one of them. But I did my wind sprints and hills and hurdles. In competition, I ended up throwing shot put and discus. Go ahead, laugh.

Then it was off to college. I was in Army ROTC, and PT (that’s physical training for you civilians)was a requirement that included running – and I hated it. I especially hated running in formation, as I was the shortest and slowest. I finally deliberately dropped a typewriter (oh yes children, those were the contraptions we used to write papers way back when I was in college) on my foot to get out of PT. A hairline fracture for a college student that spent a good deal of time hoofing it around grounds was actually preferable to forced running.

Random attempts to run in the name of getting in shape were short lived. I did successfully complete the W4MTP once 8 years ago and almost liked it, but I quit after the program ended. I wasn’t quite ready to commit. Now here I am, 44 years old, the most unlikely running enthusiast ever. While I could write volumes about what’s different now, suffice it to say, now is my time. So I have some tips for my fellow late bloomers out there:

Be patient. You will not be running marathons overnight – maybe never- but then again, maybe one day you will. Follow your training plan as precribed. You will not gain points for going do more than required. You will only increase your odds of injury and frustration. I remember thinking the first couple of weeks that I’d like to go faster, longer, do more. But guess what? It got challenging soon enough. I am happy to say that I completed the 4 miler training program and a half marathon training program and race without injury or even soreness.

Embrace rest as an important component of your training plan. Let’s face it, if you are a woman of a certain age, especially if you are not in your prime fighting form, your body is needs rest to recover. When you train, you push yourself just enough to create micro tears in your muscles. It is during recovery when your muscle repairs itself and adapts to the new workload. Rest is not slacker time, it is necessary time to grow in strength and endurance.

Be kind to yourself. This is the most important piece of advice of all, and the best that I myself received.You may be feeling self conscious about putting on shorts or anything stretchy or clingy, but let’s face it you are entitled to look the way you do. No matter whether you are 35, 43, 58 or 72, embrace the fact that your body is your lifelong companion and be kind to yourself. You deserve it.