There's the saying that goes, there's no 'i' in 'team.' Yeah, I know, it sounds cheesy-- like something a teacher or human resources manager would say. Running is generally a solo sport. You have your own abilities, your own goals. And when you toe the line at a race, its to usually to better your previous race finish times or cover a distance for the first time.
I wasn't an athletic child, and definitely shied away from any sort of team sports for fear of messing up and being embarrassed. Running as an adult allowed me to realize I could be pretty good at something and to not be scared to put myself out there. Recently I suprised the child version of myself by signing up for the Ragnar Niagara Relay, which pretty much makes a team sport out of running. Instead of focusing on your own goals, you're focussing on the goals of your entire 12 person team. Whatever you do impacts the team's result.
So, how did I suddenly go from zero to signing up for an overnight, 300 km team relay race from Cobourg to Niagara Falls?!
This past year I closely followed the Wild Bruce Chase girls as they ran the entire Bruce Trail end-to-end and broke a record in doing so. These girls were mostly a mix of skilled trail runners and speedy race podium frequenters. Although I was incredibly impressed with the result of their record, the social media updates I found myself enjoying most revolved around the comradery, support, friendships and celebration of their experience. The experience of a team.
This past year I closely followed the Wild Bruce Chase girls as they ran the entire Bruce Trail end-to-end and broke a record in doing so. These girls were mostly a mix of skilled trail runners and speedy race podium frequenters. Although I was incredibly impressed with the result of their record, the social media updates I found myself enjoying most revolved around the comradery, support, friendships and celebration of their experience. The experience of a team.
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When I started running, it was very much something just for me. I soon found myself totally immersed in the running community, making some of the best friends I've ever had. Although 99% of my training kilometers are solo, inevitably events arose where I started running with others. The result was always pretty predictable...I'd run their usually faster pace, chat away and then crash! For events and fun races I've gotten a bit better at this, and for goal races I've learned that I need to say goodbye to my friends at the start so I can focus on my own pace. I love knowing my friends are near, to get a hug for luck at the beginning, maybe a cheer along the way and the chance to celebrate with them at the end.
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This is why when I learned about Ragnar relays, I knew it was perfect for me. The opportunity to run on my own where I performed at my best, but have my team near to cheer and celebrate. I could have my own Wild Bruce Chase experience without having to knock-off two minutes a kilometer from my pace!
So on May 19th to 20th, 2017 you'll find our team, appropriately named Endorphriends, running west along the Waterfront Trail towards the Falls and our finishline. And, I am looking forward to all of the moments. My three legs of running, including one in the middle of the night. The cheering of our team and others. The shuttling of our team in our two team vans to our next transfer points. The food. The photos. The social media updates. The hugs. And the celebrations.
I'm happy to have found my team.
So on May 19th to 20th, 2017 you'll find our team, appropriately named Endorphriends, running west along the Waterfront Trail towards the Falls and our finishline. And, I am looking forward to all of the moments. My three legs of running, including one in the middle of the night. The cheering of our team and others. The shuttling of our team in our two team vans to our next transfer points. The food. The photos. The social media updates. The hugs. And the celebrations.
I'm happy to have found my team.
There's still time to gather your team and run Ragnar Niagara. For registration information, visit the Ragnar Niagara website.
