Back Where It All Begins II

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Dale

Time to bring it all back around and close it out, i.e. make history. The 35th Anniversary of the Fifth Third River Bank Run is history. The slogan for this year’s race was “Make History”. We all did. Congratulations to all who ran and walked. Thank you to all who have read my blogs.

The title of my first Road Warrior blog was Back Where It All Begins, a title of an Allman Brother’s Band song. In a lot of ways going into a structured training program focused on a couple of races and one major was a lot like the “program” I was on back in the early ’70′s as a High School team runner. So, I posted a photo of me at a Cross Country race representing the Bears of Theodore Roosevelt High School in Wyandotte, MI. Here it is again:

Jump forward nearly 40 years to being a 2102 Fifth Third River Bank Run Road Warrior and it is pretty much “Back to Where It All Begins”. I made some great friends and had some wonderful unforgettable experiences as a High School runner. I can say the exact same thing about being a Road Warrior. Different teams, different eras, same result. Some things are constant: having a goal, working hard and pushing beyond what looked possible, experiencing it as part of team and the connections it creates, all combine and do endure. I am thankful to have been part of the team in 2012. Here we are on race day:

A great group. As for me, the hair’s shorter and is now white. We all believed we were changing the world in the 60′s and early ’70′s. The hair was our symbol. I can’t claim that symbol now. It’s just there on top of my head growing and whitening every day. But, maybe just maybe, in some way the River Bank Run and all the runners and walkers, the Road Warriors, the charities, the volunteers, the sponsors, and the community at large changed the world on May 12. The cool thing is that result is achieved every year. I think a circle just might have have been completed here for me. The entire experience from the funds raised for charity to the energy of the event, the connection between runners and supporters, the convergence on downtown, all combined to create a public good. That was a goal way back then, and it still is now.

Thank you to Fifth Third Bank for the River Bank Run and the gift that it is to West Michigan. The 36th running will be May 11, 2013. It’s on my calendar. I hope it will be on yours. Thank you to all who have read my blog, my teammate’s blogs, and cheered us on all along the way.

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“The Anti-climax,” or “Seven Months of Training to Ride in a Truck.”

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Jake

May 12, 2012 was bittersweet. I had the opportunity to ride the media truck due to my injury, but I didn’t get to run. I got to watch a lot of good friends (including the Road Warriors) and my dad finish the Fifth Third River Bank Run. I even ran my dad and one of my best friends, Justin Woods, through the last three blocks of the race. I knew all morning that I would be tempted to throw caution (and recovery) to the wind and throw on a pair of shorts and run the race anyway, so I intentionally left my running clothes and shoes at home. Sure enough, I was tempted…it was good I didn’t have a pair of shorts and shoes with me.

Seven months ago I was supposed to cross the finish line. But, I didn’t…I couldn’t. This past Saturday was supposed to be the grand finale of the fireworks show that was the past seven months. But, it wasn’t. However, what’s pretty cool is that the fireworks are still going…in fact, now more than ever. After I ran the Chicago Marathon last year, I wasn’t sure if I would ever run another marathon. I wasn’t sure how much I would even run any more. That started to change just a few days after the race, and then the Road Warrior opportunity came about. I liked to run before I became a Road Warrior. But, after learning from Coach Mike, Coach Amy, and Woj, I love to run. Being injured over the past four weeks has been hard…not only because I had to miss a race, but more because I couldn’t wake up at 5am to go out for a run on the quiet streets of my neighborhood. The weather this time of year for morning runs is perfect, and I have to miss it. I don’t get to experience that time to relax on the couch after a difficult speed workout on a Tuesday or Thursday evening…instead I’m rubbing castor oil on my aching muscle, wrapping it in a hot towel and saran wrap, and using a heating pad on it. Then stretching it. Then icing it. All with the hopes of healing up so I can get back out and run again. The process is slow.

But, the last two mornings I’ve seen a glimmer of hope. I’ve been going out for a run/walk that involves lots of stopping to stretch, and easy running. Two miles yesterday. Three miles today. I’m slowly building back up. My fitness feels pretty much in tact, so now it’s just making sure I don’t re-injure myself. It’s been an amazing seven months of learning different types of workouts, meeting new people, and being a part of an athletic team…something I haven’t done since I graduated high school in 1997. There’s no big exclamation point to put on the end of the sentence. There’s no catch phrase like “happily ever after.” There’s no grand finale or walk off home run. There’s no photo finish. In fact, there’s no “the end” right now. Over the past seven months I went from being someone who liked to run to being an actual runner. It was anti-climactic for me, and maybe that’s not a bad thing because it just means that the story keeps unfolding.

: The hardest part of my 25k this year was climbing up onto the truck.

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Until We Meet Again

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Brittany

How could I possibly begin to sum up seven months of an experience into one final blog? Here’s the part where I had envisioned being able to excitedly give an account of how I crushed my goal on Saturday, but things didn’t go quite how I planned they would. I guess that’s the beauty and tragedy of race day. You just never know. Sometimes you go out and surprise the heck out of yourself and other times you give it your all and it’s just not enough.

I missed breaking two hours by 2 minutes and 29 seconds. I really thought that I would do it. There are a million different things I could go over in my head and wonder whether or not it was the reason it didn’t happen. Should I have eaten a hamburger instead of pizza on Friday? Did I wait too long to take aid on the course? Should I have not run so hard on Tuesday but biked on Monday instead? I’ll never really know. I started out feeling really strong and felt good throughout the first half but those hills got the best of me this time around. I felt like I had nothing left for the last three miles.

Was I disappointed? Of course. But I’m a lot less bummed than I thought I would be. How can I be too upset when I ran 8 minutes and 25 seconds faster than last year? I think back on the last seven months of training and I know that it was not done in vain. I’ve managed to hit a personal best in both the mile and 5K distance. I’ve finished long runs a whole minute per mile faster than I was last year at this time. I’ve pushed myself more mentally and physically than I ever have before, all the while meeting some pretty amazing people along the way.

Brooke- Thank you for treating us like rock stars! You spoiled us. You made us feel like we were an important, vital part of this race’s success. Thank you for seeing the potential I had to be an ambassador and allowing me to be a part of such an awesome program!

Amy- Thanks for being such a great cheering section this year. I’ve never come across someone who is more genuinely excited for me and my personal accomplishments. I admire your unwillingness to let a setback from an injury keep you from getting out there and running this year. Thanks for not only being a great coach, but also a great friend.

Mike- I already dedicated an entire blog to you so what more can I say really?! You’ve been a coach to me since before this whole training period even began. It sounds so cliché to say, but you believe in me when I don’t believe in myself. Thank you for the sacrifice you make to coach and prep this team in anticipation for race day.

Cozy- I’m so glad that we were partnered together to fund raise. We kicked some serious butt. I’m proud of what we accomplished! Never stop pushing yourself or making new goals when it comes to running. I’m eager to see what you do in the future.

Kristen- I admire your bravery. It took guts to join a team where everyone else sort of knew what they were getting themselves into. You jumped right in though and are now no longer a newbie! I’m thankful for the times we were able to run together and learn about each other’s lives outside of the sport.

Alisha- I love that you smile and laugh a lot. It’s contagious. But I also love how fierce and concentrated you look when you run. Your decision to get healthy for your family is truly commendable and it’s making a difference. You must be so proud to watch your boys follow in your foot steps and take up running themselves!

Jake- I think it’s great you’re such a family man. You followed our training schedule (aside from dealing with an injury) to a tee, yet you didn’t let it get in the way of spending time with your wife and kids. You’re proof that balance is possible and that a busy life isn’t an excuse to not push and challenge yourself.

Zack- I often times found myself forgetting that you’re only 21. I think it’s really neat to be so young but have such a wide influence and huge fan base! Thanks for sticking with me on one of the slipperiest long runs of the season. You could have gone much faster but you held back and kept me company. It meant a lot.

Dwight- You are the comic relief of the group. You are so funny without even trying to be. Thanks for giving Cozy and me a run for our money in the charity competition. Sorry to have taken you out like that in the end. It was fun to watch how giddy you got when talking about race day. I’m not sure if anyone was more excited about it than you.

Dale- I’m glad that the guy I always saw running on the track downtown is no longer a stranger. You’re commitment to this team and program is truly admirable. Did you even miss a workout? The great race you had on Saturday speaks volumes of your hard work and persistence during training.

Karen- My partner in crime. The Bert to my Ernie. I had more miles with you than anyone else. We were supposed to cross that line hand in hand in under two hours this year. The stars just weren’t aligned for us on Saturday. Thank you for a million different reasons. For being so fast and making me want to go faster. For backing off with me when my legs just wouldn’t go. For finding random sources of water when I thought dehydration would get the best of me. For letting me vent when I was having an off day. For encouraging me to do another mile repeat when I would have been content to stop. But more than anything, thank you for your friendship. I’m thankful for the miles we’ve already run and the miles we’ve yet to cover together. Next year we’ll be back and we’ll crush two hours!

This experience has been life changing. I’m a different person because I knew you all. You’re a part of my running journey. And whether things went great for you or not on Saturday, remember that one race does not define who you are as a runner. It’s all the sweat and sore muscles and effort you put in during the months leading up to it. I had a blast getting to know each and every one of you and my hope is that our paths will continue to cross in the future.

Much love,

Brit

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Not a Finisher, But a Thankful Ambassador!

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Karen Berghorst

I never thought that a portion of my last and final blog as a Fifth Third River Bank Road Warrior would contain a glimpse into the worst 8 miles of my life. And even worse, a story of how I was unable to reach the finish line at this years Fifth Third River Bank Run after 7 months of training! This does get better, so bear with me…

Let me take you back to last week. I had done everything a runner should do and should not do in order to be ready for race day. I properly hydrated, ate, rested, had a chiropractic visit and a hour long message. I even made a last minute appointment with my family physician to evaluate my allergies and asthma to ensure I was on track. Pretty much everything I’ve done to prepare for my last 4 marathons.. I did it. In fact, that night prior to race morning, I had the most sleep that night than I EVER have prior to a race. I woke up and arrived to the starting line feeling rejuvenated, positive, excited, and surprisingly quite relaxed!

Then it happened waaay too soon, the feeling I should have had at mile 15 started happening at mile 2. I felt an incredible thirst had come over me. My mouth dried up and I couldn’t swallow. That lead to panic, a feeling of being enclosed in the crowd and then to breathing problems. By mile 4 I had felt like I was on a tilt-a-whirl. The worst, of the worst in amusement park rides if you ask me (a real ‘throw up’ machine). If it wasn’t for my running partner Brittany Cutler, there is no way I would have made it just beyond the half way point, when I found myself stumbling along the side the road fainting. I look back now and I’m actually quite pleased I was able to make it that far, with the world spinning beneath my feet. Again, just another example where relying on my running partner has pulled through. I love you Brittany Cutler!

My finish line then ended with a ride in an ambulance to Spectrum Health Hospital where I would find myself in a huge emotional break down. The conclusion there was that I had a stress reaction to how my allergy medications were making me feel during that race. I’ve been on a constant battle with this for nearly 2 years trying attempting to figure out how to medicate myself with my allergies. The bottom line is medications for seasonal allergies cause dehydration and, yeah.. I knew this. So, why take them, you ask? It’s sort of a catch 20 situation. If I don’t take them.. I’m dealing with a whole other set of bothersome symptoms. I’ve had more GREAT runs than bad ones relying on medication before, so I just stuck with it.

Anyway, I’m not going to ramble on about why this may not have been my race this year and complain about things I can’t change now. I’m not going to dwell on this 1 hour experience and allow it to ruin me. I refuse to label myself as the runner who ‘faints’. The fact of the matter is, no matter what my end result is, I am still an Ambassador of this race, committed to share the ins and outs of training, even up until and after that final day. I feel humbled, privileged and honored to share this story with you.

I’ve made huge strides, being able to run faster than I ever thought I’d be able to, even comfortably. The journey I have been on over these past 7 months is truly worth my outcome on May 12, 2012. I’ve had some pretty fantastic training under Coaches, Mike Dopke, Amy Poplaski and Mike Wojciakowski, whom I will always highly admire and respect. And as a bonus.. I have gained friendships with my fellow Road Warriors that will last a lifetime.

I’d like to remind you of what my essay said, which was my gateway in getting me in as a Fifth Third River Bank Road Warrior.

“Being REAL to myself and to others is very important to me. Having nothing to hide.. Just being true to who I am and what I’m passionate about in life. One of these things is running. It has brought me far…. Far from temptation, far from negative emotion, and sometimes so far from home, to a point where I have to call up my husband for guidance and direction back . There is no greater feeling than getting lost in a run. Lost in a world where you can come out feeling like you can conquer just about anything. Conquer raising a special needs child, conquer a history of depression, conquer.. well, the run itself. Let’s face it.. I’m not perfect in life, nor am I in running.“

I am not perfect.. I am a work in progress. I will continue to run and allow my experience here to be my motivator in the future to keep on, keeping on. Making progress in speed and endurance in distance is just a small portion of what I get out of running. The fact of the matter is, if I didn’t have running AT ALL, I’d be a complete mental mess. Without getting too off topic, running has literally saved my life. I’m a better mom, wife and person because of it. My relationship with God is a better one because of it. Most of my in depth prayerful moments has been with just me and God pounding the pavement together.

The key is.. I am ABLE. Unlike many of those who rely on services through Hope Network for brain/spinal cord damage, developmental disadvantages, substance abuse addiction, and mental illness. They will experience far more struggle through out their lives than I will ever experience throughout my own. I have run for charity in the past, and I have never felt so connected to running for this charity, Hope Network, as I did this year.

My reward is not a medal. It is SO MUCH more than I deserve, and that is to be at peace with my outcome. Until we run together, I leave you with this final thought, through a song on my running mix.

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The Beginning and not the End!

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Cozette

I started this journey wanting to lower my blood pressure and to learn how to run without walking. So as I wrote my story, I thought that it would be a cold day in hell if they actually chose me. When I was chosen as one of the 25 finalists I almost fell out of my chair at work, who knew that I would make it that far. Even during the interview process I was sure that I would not be chosen. Those 24 hours was just nerve wracking. When Brooke called I just knew she was going to tell me that I was not one of the Road Warriors, but she asked if I was still interested in becoming a Fifth Third River Bank River Bank Road Warrior. That was the start of my journey.

Running is a journey at least that is one of the many things that I learned. I went from walking to running one mile and then another. I wanted to run, but was not aware that it would be so much work. Running took time, and at this point it hurt. I was just not enjoying the journey; it was not as smooth as I thought it would be. But anything worth having requires hard work. Then I went through having Shin Splints and an Ankle Strain. Walking up or down stairs was so painful. I fell in love with Bio-Relief, the Massage Stick and Physical Therapy. The outcome was that after the fear, the pain, the???? I became a Runner.

The Road Warrior program helped me to become a Runner. It taught me to first believe that I could do whatever I put my mind to. It taught me to know the difference between a sore muscle and an injury. I learned how to run through mental blocks and when to push myself. I have learned so much and yet I have so much to still learn about running and how to train my body. The program allowed me to make friendships that I am sure that will last forever. My coaches (Amy, Mike, and RunGR) gave me sound advice and training. My teammates and their mates (Dwight, Karen, Kristen, Alisha, Dale, Brittany, Jake, Zack, and Todd) supported, motivated, cried, laughed, ate, ran, and way so much more with me. I also had the help of former Road Warriors Tiffany and Rick who showered me with love. The Running community is so welcoming!!! As long as you are out there running no matter how slow or fast, you are accepted. I also want to thank the American Red Cross and their volunteers. You could not ask for a more caring organization. It was an honor to raise money for them. I was blessed to see first-hand what the money was used for.

Most importantly I want to thank Fifth Third Bank, Kristen Aidif, Brooke Messing and the whole committee for the opportunity. I hope that my journey will inspire others to go beyond themselves to reach their health goals. It takes a whole team to create a runner and I am so thankful.

What’s next for me? I have already signed up for the Mercy Health Partners Seaway Run, 10 mile Bridge Run, and the Grand Rapids Half Marathon, along with some local 5k’s. I look forward to seeing my following runners on the course.

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