Last summer my favorite running group leader suggested that I could lead a group this year, and I was pleased and flattered and also skeptical. Despite my skepticism I am leading a group, and it turns out to be both fun and satisfying.
After years and years of feeling like I was not a member of the secret Ladies Who Run sorority, I think I have slipped through the pledging process without quite realizing it. Last week when one of the other leaders said, "My watch is dead!" I said, "Oh, I've got mine," because I have turned into a person whose Garmin is (almost) always charged up. Last week when one of the group members said, "Let me know if you have any form tips for me" and another member said, "I've always had trouble with finding a good breathing rhythm," I felt like I had some worthwhile information for both of them. And this week, when I was running next to someone who was struggling, I was able to offer her a couple of tips and a lot of encouragement. At first she said, "I'm not even going to try to run the last interval." But then she tried it after all, and she stuck it out until the end, at which point I offered her a happy high-five.
I often feel discouraged about my running. Progress is slow. But working with this group is showing me that I have learned some things worth sharing. It is also showing me that I am unquestionably faster than I used to be, and more certain that the benefits of running outweigh the struggles.
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