I was a nervous wreck. I tried to think of everything I might need. What if it is raining? Cold? Hot? What do I do about food? I packed everything. I even made several containers of oatmeal, polenta and fruit to carry with me. What am I going to look like on camera?? Ahhh. What if there is traffic and I am late? What are the others going to be like?
Finally I got out the door and drove away into the terrifying unknown. No traffic, easy drive up. Lake Lanier Island and the resort are BEAUTIFUL. It is not too cold. The room is nice. I see Jeff and another participant, Arlene in the lobby. They both greet me with big smiles. Maybe this is going to be fun??
Well, it was beyond fun, it was simply an amazing experience. All the people involved were incredible. Everyone wanted to be there, wanted to learn, and believed in the benefit this show could bring to others. The energy and dedication to this show was apparent in every crew member. They not only had been working together for years but also had been working on the vision for this show for years. They were excited to finally see it become a reality.
Jeff was amazing, very kind, open, dedicated and of course incredibly knowledgeable. All you have to do is read his bio to know what an accomplished person he is (Olympian, owner of 2 Phidippides stores, and author of 20+ books), but what was most impressive is how approachable he is. He eagerly answered all of the thousands of questions we had, took interest in all of our stories and truly wanted to help us achieve our goals.
The other participants – Arlene, Becky, Phil and Steve, each had their own unique story and challenges. They were interesting, inspiring and a lot of fun. The host, Lisa Ritter was great, what an adventurous life she has led. Even when the weather turned wet and cold, we still managed to have a great time. Thanks to Phil for all the laughs! These were long days, but I enjoyed every minute. I even got somewhat comfortable being on camera.
The result – as set in my ways as I have been, I became a believer in Jeff’s methods. I actually could not WAIT to get home and do a long run using the run/walk / run method.
It is simple – what I had been doing was not working. My goal was to be able to run pain free. Jeff’s experience, the research he has done, and other followers experience has proven his run /walk/ run worked. It is kinder to your body and lets your body heal. A summary of my new training method - run every other day, only do one long run a week (add mileage every other week) and take walk breaks early and often during the long runs.
Food – you didn’t think I was going to forget to write about food did you? I was nervous that there would not be enough vegan / gluten free options to keep me satisfied over the two days. I did prepare, and brought some food with me. I was pleasantly surprised that I did not need it! Barbara, who owns the Flying Biscuit in Sandy Springs graciously offered to feed us! She brought us breakfast, lunch and dinner both days. On top of that, she had wonderful vegan, gluten free options. My favorites – love cakes with a spicy cashew nut relish, mash potatoes made with olive oil instead of dairy and collard greens. It was so delicious I ate more than I usually eat over the two days. I went back for seconds at every meal! I can’t wait to visit her soon.
Here is a glimpse:
Born 2 Run
Here is a glimpse:
Born 2 Run
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