If you are actively participating in or lurking on the FFFC private or public Facebook pages you know over the next few weeks we have scheduled 5:45 am 3-mile runs. I am excited about this because I am ready to take it back outside. The air is fresh and it invigorates me. I also like the camaraderie as I tend to run with my neighbor. I enjoy running with her because she challenges me and vice versa. She and I started running together last summer (which is when we met) and we have been working out and running together a lot ever since.
I had the bright idea to invite others because I want to promote healthy choices and fitness and two individuals agreed to come out with us. One person is one of our boot camp sisters and she runs in class. Well, let her tell it she says she WOGS! LOL. I cracked up when she told me this term. It is a method used by several runners she tells us where you walk and jog in intervals. To see her do it is hysterical because you see her little legs GO! I love my boot camp sister! The other person teaches belly dancing and has been participating in FFFC from the beginning. She is very encouraging and has a great spirit. She doesn’t run – she walks but I figured I could pair her with my boot camp sister and they could keep each other company because my neighbor/other boot camp sister planned to run the entire distance.
In preparation for our run this morning I sent out the street directions since I knew the two folks joining us were not familiar with our common route. Of course no one paid attention to is. :-/ Everyone showed up on time except for one. We decided to wait outside in the dark until she arrived……..THIRTY MINUTES LATER! Geesh, we have to get back because we have children to clothe, feed as well as dress ourselves. So leaving at 6:15 was really pushing it for me as well as the others. But she showed up and we took off. We got to our starting point and we took off. I set the pace for my neighbor and we were gone. I told them that at the first turning point I would wait at the corner to make sure everyone knew the route.
I got to the first corner and did 50 jumping jacks. My neighbor came through, asked me the time (6:24 am) and she had to keep going. Our husbands have to go to work so we can’t be out all early and coming in late. I waited for the other two woggers/walkers and nothing. I then get a call that they turned up the street and are at the wrong corner. Oh goodness….it’s now 6:30 am and I can’t find the other half of our group. I knew by this time we could not continue the entire planned route so I jog back and meet them where they got turned around. Likely mistake – the street sign was twisted (which I never noticed before) and they thought they were supposed to turn. MY BAD!!!
We shortened our 3-mile run to a 2-mile jog/walk ending back up at my house around 6:55 am. We kept looking back as we walked and saw the third walker. I guess we had one hill too many and she lost sight of us. My wogger got in her car to leave, then called me to tell me she ran into the other walker, who got turned around, and drove her to her car. Needless to say I was in the house making the childrens’ lunches by that time trying to rush to get the morning going since the family was up.
While I enjoyed spending time with my girls, I didn’t enjoy not really getting my workout in which I was looking forward to. I wanted to set another “personal best record” with my 3-mile time and that didn’t happen. Here are some lessons learned and I hope I don’t come off snobby:
1. Make sure you hook up with folks who either push you if you want to get in a good workout
2. If you are going to go out with folks who may not be at the same fitness, perhaps go out and get your workout in before them, then go out with them
3. Make sure everyone understands and knows the route – send in advance
4. If there is a time constraint please emphasize this to everyone who plans to participate. Everyone’s time is valuable and many are on a schedule so everyone should be cognizant of that
5. Keep it fun and stress free
6. Make sure you have emergency contacts for all of your running participants just in case
Have you ever had bigger expectations for a workout that just did not come into fruition?
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