I have been running with the OSU Running Club since the beginning of the academic year. I've enjoyed the camaraderie on some of the runs, and especially during track workouts. The group is a varied mix of seasoned Varsity and Junior-Varsity athletes, recreational runners, and marathoners. It makes me feel energetic and lively to be running with a group of skilled and passionate runners, and also old since the vast majority of the runners are in their third year or less at OSU. I've made some new friends within the club: Tough Mudder and Red Runner. Tough is a Navy veteran returning to higher education. Red is a graduate student from China studying computer programming.
This weekend I volunteered at the Otterbein Invitational by taking splits and cheering on the team. Being at a meet brought back many positive memories of high school and college XC meets. I've missed the team atmosphere as well as the giddy nervousness you get just before a race begins. I also missed the feeling of running in XC spikes and splashing through mud and puddles and dirt. Volunteering was a lot of fun. I'm not used to being on the spectator side of a race, but it was empowering to be able to cheer on my teammates as they ran the final 50 yards to the finish chute. For those who weren't tanked at the end of the race I could see their stride and kinetics change as I yelled for them to pump their arms and legs, or to catch the runner in front of them.
Being a part of the club has given me a shared sense of purpose that I think I have missed in the cohort. Although the members of the club vary in their reason for being present we all enjoy running and the feeling that comes with running and a good, sweaty run. I don't know if I will race this year since I am trying to focus more on climbing, but I would like to get a few 5K's and 10K's under my belt again, though I think all the rest of the races this year will be road races with the exception of the Tough Mudder event in April (www.toughmudder.com)
This weekend I volunteered at the Otterbein Invitational by taking splits and cheering on the team. Being at a meet brought back many positive memories of high school and college XC meets. I've missed the team atmosphere as well as the giddy nervousness you get just before a race begins. I also missed the feeling of running in XC spikes and splashing through mud and puddles and dirt. Volunteering was a lot of fun. I'm not used to being on the spectator side of a race, but it was empowering to be able to cheer on my teammates as they ran the final 50 yards to the finish chute. For those who weren't tanked at the end of the race I could see their stride and kinetics change as I yelled for them to pump their arms and legs, or to catch the runner in front of them.
Being a part of the club has given me a shared sense of purpose that I think I have missed in the cohort. Although the members of the club vary in their reason for being present we all enjoy running and the feeling that comes with running and a good, sweaty run. I don't know if I will race this year since I am trying to focus more on climbing, but I would like to get a few 5K's and 10K's under my belt again, though I think all the rest of the races this year will be road races with the exception of the Tough Mudder event in April (www.toughmudder.com)
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