Running Club: The End of an Era

It is no secret that I have a passion (or slight obsession) with staying healthy and active. Over the last 3 years, Running Club has been a great outlet for that passion. I have experienced the community, friendship, and fun that this club has to offer, and I tear up a little bit every time I think of saying farewell to this organization.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I think the largest thing that I have learned from this club this year is that leaving a legacy is incredibly important. Yes, this club is for fun and friendly competition, but it is also a place where legacy belongs. When I joined the club my sophomore year I heard stories of the people who started the club. Now, as a senior, I tell the underclassmen of those same stories, and of upperclassmen who had made large impacts on my life. Names and people may be forgotten, but the legacy of those who came before me lay in the traditions and opportunities that the Running Club now offers. For example, the running club only started off with a small handful of students and now has grown to a larger club that is known on campus. The club began with T-shirts and no “home” meet, now the club offers tons of different apparel, has an official logo, and hosts meets and races of their own.

Often, I find myself looking around at social events with the club and thinking to myself, “these underclassmen are so so so lucky, they have no idea how much fun is in store for them. The have absolutely no clue that when they are seniors and are about to graduate, they’ll look back on the Running Club as some of their fondest memories.” That is why this year on the Running Club I have realized the importance of legacy. Through personal actions, through kindness and inclusion, and through hard work, a true team can be built. So what? As I graduate, the running club will continue to grow, people will continue to build bonds, stay active, and make memories. As I lay my time on the Running Club to rest I can leave smiling knowing that I have made small impacts over the years to add to the legacy of Central Michigan University’s Running Club.

Related Articles:

• On the Run…Again
• Set Backs and Strides Forward

 

 

Setbacks and Strides Forward

Last year around this time I reflected on my journey of joining the CMU Running Club. I was nervous, and quite reluctant at first, but I ended falling in love with the sport all over again. Coming into the fall 2016 cross country season I was ready to meet up with my team and take on the sport in stride….but that did not go as intended. Last year training for the half marathon I became injured and didn’t stop to give my body a rest. Determined to finish the half marathon I kept running, pushing myself, and ultimately making my injury worse (typical of any strong willed runner). Starting off this season I had to go through a knee surgery that end with adverse complications. In total, I was readmitted to the hospital, developed blood clots in my leg and both lungs, underwent another surgery, had a device implanted by my heart, and racked up many hours of physical therapy. So what was a girl supposed to do? Keep going.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Following all of the unforeseen events I was left exhausted, upset, and with broken spirits. Returning for the fall season was out of the question with fresh stitches and soon to be scars. Yet, that didn’t stop my teammates from being my team of supporters. I still went to social events, attended elections, and ultimately became the team’s #1 fan (as did they for me). Once I got clearance from the surgeons and physical therapists to lace up my running shoes I was determined to get back to practice…. yet fear kept me away from something I loved so much. Fear of re-injury, fear of lost progress, fear of disappointing myself. So I began secretly training on my own in attempt to hide my recovery process from my team, yet once a team ALWAYS a team. Before I knew it I was convinced to come back to the track. With a lot of vulnerability at practice I was back running painfully slow times… yet having a blast. My team supported me, encouraged me, and pushed me to get back in the groove. Who knew that a Register Student Organization (RSO) could mean so much to me? Moral of the story: You can’t do everything on you own, no matter how headstrong you are. Sometimes you’ll need someone to help you along the way, maybe even a small army at times, but there is no shame in leaning onto another to accomplish something so much greater than yourself.

So where am I now? After a lot of laughs, sweat, ice packs, and memories I was pushed by my teammates to sign up for the NIRCA National meet. I once again slipped into the maroon jersey with apprehension. I proudly wore Central Michigan University’s flying “C” across my chest. I laced up my spikes with reoccurring fear from the beginning of the season and competed like I ever thought I would again. I ended the meet by running a semi-decent time in the 1500m and earned an All-American title in the high jump. My team couldn’t be more proud to bring a few All-American titles home and I couldn’t be more satisfied with the abundance of  joy this team has brought into my life. FIRE UP CHIPS!

On the Run…again

CMU’s Running Club

Seven years is a long time…. a little over 1/3rd of my life to be more precise. Considering 1/3rd consisted of me learning the basic functions of being a human{eating, speaking, walking etc.} and  another 1/3rd learning how this thing called life worked {red means stop, an hour is 60 minutes, poison ivy makes you itchy etc.}, I’d say the last 1/3rd has been extremely significant. If you know anything about me, its that I spent those 7 years running competitively and I couldn’t be imagine my life any other way. When I came to college I hung up my running shoes, determined to close that chapter and find a new passion that could impact the world. Yet, I’ve found out that, ‘once a runner, always a runner.’ Although I stayed away from the sport for almost two years I found my old running shoes and I’m back at it…again.

Running: The Sequel… After I graduated high school I never seriously considered returning to the sport where my passion laid. I used the excuses that I was “too old” or “too busy” or “exploring other passions” in order to avoid running competitively again. To be honest, I was antsy and ready to run something everyday since my last race, but I suppressed it because I wanted a brand new beginning when I came to college. BUT, here I am as a second semester sophomore with a maroon and gold jersey, new running shoes, and a team that has my back.

How in the world did I end up here???After some coercion for the last three semesters from friends on the running club, I decided to join. I was just going to test the waters to see if it was something that I might possibly be interested in and from the first practice I was hooked. Before I knew it I was signing up to run a half marathon at the NIRCA Nationals in Indiana. So much for finding a new passion!

Old passions die hard for a reason… That reason is simple, my passion for running is true and I’m not done with it yet. Although it seemed as if joining this Registered Student Organization (RSO) was a step backwards in my new journey though college, it was quite the opposite. Joining this team has amplified and added value to my nights at CMU. I get to spend  2 hours with some of my closest friends, stay physically active AND do something I love! All of these are wins to me and I can’t believe that it took me this long to figure it out. Through running I’ve had the opportunity to touch many people’s lives by building meaningful relationships and establishing a strong work ethic. I honestly believe that I’ve grown just as much as a person in a pair of running shoes as I have in the classroom, and that for me reveals the meaning of my passion.