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L STREET Running Club |
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Articles |
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Although training for the marathon is largely a lonely experience, running with the L Street Running Club creates a setting to share the entire 16-week experience. When I first joined L Street, I remember people saying that they could not imagine training for any marathon without this kind of group support. Anyone reading this overview will understand how true that is. Marathon 2008 training as part of L Street was the usual supportive experience. Arriving early Sunday morning, finding a semi-legal parking space and getting ready to run a long distance is more easily done when you know you are entering a room of like-minded people who share the same goal. This training season, the weekday mornings seemed darker, colder, and earlier than ever – it was easy to think about turning over and go back to bed rather than put in the time to log in the miles. Therefore, a large part of the Sunday morning long run experience was knowing you were starting (and in my case, finishing later than) the group of people you know and love. We were lucky with the weather most Sundays this training season. We had some snow, lots of wind and a little bit of mist. Staring down these weather conditions and running the routes designed for us help me face the Boston Marathon with the confidence and knowledge that I’ve done the work to get there. Interestingly, running with L Street Running Club puts you in a context with people for whom running marathons is a normal part of their lives -- those who qualify, those who consistently run for charity, those who travel to other states to run other marathons – most who do so every training season. What I realize is that when the Boston Marathon approaches and friends, family, and colleagues begin to pay attention to what you are doing, you realize what an unbelievable achievement it really is. Spending time with marathon training runners actually minimizes your awareness of the achievement and accomplishment because it is a constant among all of us. I love that it becomes a given to all of us, and therefore the sense of success upon completion is something that we all share as well. I am always grateful for the amazing input, support, positive feedback and care shared among the L Street members. Somehow, someone always says exactly the right thing at the exactly the right time -- during a run, before getting on the bus, or at a water stop -- that makes me laugh, makes me proud, or most importantly, makes me sure I can do it. And, that I’ll do it again. Thanks to everyone who helped make the training season so helpful to all of us. |
Marathon Training Season 2008