Making Runners Instead of Running for Myself

Well, I'm back from my blog hiatus and all, but I'm quickly realizing I don't have a lot to talk about in the running sphere right now. As I mentioned, I'm not really training for anything in particular right now, and even though I'm running, there's not a whole lot of adventure going on with that.

In fact, when I look back over the course of this year, my running theme has definitely been geared towards making new runners.

Since January, I...

• Attended Girls on the Run training.
• Coached a Girls on the Run team of 26 third, fourth, and fifth grade girls.
• Convinced 4 other teachers at that school that they liked running enough to get trained themselves and they are now coaching our county's first STRIDE (boys running) teams.
• Helped two good friends get through their first long runs and 1/2 marathons.
• Ran alongside my college roommate in her first marathon. (Although, technically I was not beside her as she finished because she's much more hardcore than me and was done a good 1/2 hour before me....)
• Organized the second annual Farmers Market Run/Walk 5K at no cost to the participants.
• Talked another 3 coaches and 1 school into Girls on the Run.
• Started an informal Saturday running club.
• Started coaching our county's first Girls on Track team at a new school.
• Somehow, some way, got talked into organizing another local 5K....

Actually, I'm really excited about this 5K we're planning for December because it's cutesy (we're thinking about ordering a few of these...

), there are other people who are really excited about this event and helping to plan it, it's going to be so exciting for all our little running teams to get together, and we're raising some funds to help pay for our spring teams!

Suddenly, I feel don't feel so pathetic that I haven't had any PRs, tackled any new distances, or lost that weight that's been slowing me down this year. (Okay, that still sounds a little pathetic.)

One of my adorable little middle school runners asked me the other day, "Why did you want to start this running club with us?" Well, because I love running and I want that little girl, her teammates, and anybody else I can convince to love it too. It's not too much to ask, is it?