By Lavon Medlock
In the Fall of
2010, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and sign up for the Learn to Run
(LTR) program through FootZone. A variety of factors brought me to this
decision, but the main one was a desire to shed the baby weight of three
consecutive pregnancies. I found myself
sitting on the floor of the FootZone one Wednesday evening in late September
feeling the support and encouragement of a room full of people of all shapes,
sizes and fitness levels. Connie Austin
was going around the room asking participants to share their goals for the
program and the reason why they specifically wanted to learn to run. When my turn
came I simply said that I wished to be able to wear my engagement ring
again. Secretly, I also wanted to be
able to run 3.1 miles without stopping, but that goal seemed too lofty to be
worth mentioning out loud.
Fast forward 6
weeks and I distinctly remember the overwhelming joy of having met that goal –
I had just run 3.1 miles without stopping!!
Never mind that I finished second to last; the point is that I had met
my secret goal. Who knew that I had that
kind of drive and athleticism in me?
Apparently, we all do but some of us just need a little guidance and
help finding our way. Coach Connie has a
natural gift for doing precisely that – offering just the right amount of
support balanced with just the right amount of knowledge and sprinkled with the
perfect touch of prodding. There are many
tips that I learned during those six weeks that I still find myself revisiting
to this day. One of my favorite lessons
was how “char-don-nay” can help you breathe more effectively when running.
Fueled by my
new found confidence, I committed to 2011 being the year of weight loss and
health gain. By exercising a few times a
week and tracking my food, I was able to work off 25 pounds in about 9
months. I wasn’t running consistently
that year in part due to a bout with pneumonia that had set my endurance back
significantly. It was demoralizing to be
back to square one unable to run a mile.
After sulking about it for a bit, I started putting in the work and
slowly getting my cardiovascular system built back up. If I wanted to be a runner, I had to put in
the work. Another lesson from LTR:
consistency is key.
2012 was a year
of discovery for me as a runner. I ran a
total of 12 races that year ranging from 5ks to an 8k, a few 10ks and my first
half marathon. All along the way, I
constantly drew from knowledge I gained in the LTR program, everything from
measuring my cadence to monitoring my breathing to making sure I was wearing
the right gear. It was also nice to see
many familiar faces during the various races as many of the other runners were
LTR participants or mentors.
Two weeks ago I
accomplished a goal that I have secretly held in my heart for over a decade but
didn’t dare breathe out loud: I completed my first marathon. 26.2 miles of awesome. Well, some miles were more awesome than
others but when things got tough, I went back to the basics from LTR. At mile 12, my kids handed me some Ritz
crackers to nibble on. I saved one and
decided to hold it between my thumb and index finger to make sure my arms and
hands were relaxed. That’s just one of
the numerous form tips that I gained from LTR that come in handy (pardon the
pun) to this day. Having completed a
26.2 mile race, I may be a “marathoner” but in my heart I will always to be a “Learn
to Run(ner)” first and foremost.
Oh, and the
engagement ring fits. In fact, I’ve
almost lost it twice recently because it spins off my finger so easily thanks
to all the running.
Lavon
learned to run in 2010 and hasn’t stopped since. Living in Redmond, she is an on-the-go mom to
her four and six year kids. Squeezing in
week day runs between preschool drop off and errands, she isn’t afraid to sport
a running skirt on the trail or in the grocery store. Find her on twitter @mizpinto00.
