By Erin Young, Team OAM Now Multi-sport Athlete
The Borgess Run For the Health of It is one of those events that I participate in each year. It is in my hometown of Kalamazoo and offers a distance for any runner, even a walk. With a 5k, 10k, half marathon, and marathon, I wind up doing one of the events every year, always for a different reason. One year I was preparing for a 3 day stage race and did the marathon event the day after a 26 mile trail run to have a supported run as part of my training. Last year I was preparing for a 50 mile event and wanted to use the 5k as a speed workout. This year was much different since I had my first baby this February. I didn’t know what I could expect from my body after such a personally and physically altering experience, so I decided that the half marathon was a reasonable goal.
I thrive on goals and knew this event would nudge me to put on my running shoes even when I had excuses (mostly that I simply wanted to cuddle my little one). I heard all of the scary stories about how exhausted I would be when the baby arrived or how I wouldn’t have the time to run any longer. This was disappointing to hear since running is my social life. I don’t have coffee with my friends; I run with them. We don’t get dressed up and go out for dinner on weekends; we set our alarms for 6 AM, put on our headlamps to wake the quiet trails with our laughter. When my friends apologize for being “slow” on an off day, I remind them that any trail run with a friend is already a great day. So, when I grew too big to run the last 2 weeks of pregnancy, I missed the quiet mornings, and chats with my dear friends. I may have been in denial, but I believed that I would be back with my friends and running this half marathon on May 3.
My loyal running friends stuck with me through some difficult runs, sometimes walking the last mile or two home. Turns out this was good for all of us. We loved the slowing down and walking. We noticed a 6 foot beaver dam that we had run past at least 17 times this year. We laughed just as hard and enjoyed each other’s company. We are speeding up again. I am running longer and feeling fantastic about being a runner and a mom! Not only did I make it successfully and smiling through the half marathon, I ran to the event and back home again. No speed records, but this is a new type of personal record!
The Borgess run is a lot like a parade of all your running friends in Kalamazoo. If they weren’t running, they were cheering, manning an aide station or playing in a band roadside. Teammate and 2014 Kalamazoo marathon winner, Brian Reynolds, had a similar experience as he is somewhat of a Kalamazoo all-star and has been doing the Borgess since the inaugural marathon event. This year Brian went for the 10k event and won his age group and took 2nd overall. What is most impressive is that Brian ran 34:32… that is a 5:33 min/mile pace! I don’t know very many runners who can run just one mile at that speed! Brian adds, “The 10k was a C race for me to prep for the 25K event that I’m running next week. I felt good and had a good pace the first 2 miles then settled into my 25k pace the next 4 miles. The weather was really nice out today for a 10k run. The course is a fast course because it’s mostly flat for the first 4 miles and only a few rolling hills through Spring Valley Park.”
Team OAM Now multisport team members Mark Olson and Paul Raynes were also competing in the Borgess events. Mark ran a solid time of 1:38 in the half marathon. This 7:32 minute per mile pace is quite impressive for an athlete who spends more time helping other athletes than on his own training. Paul ran a 22:32 that landed him in a 3rd place podium spot for his age group. Nice work Team OAM Now runners!
