My friend Chelsea and I organize a “No Runner Left Behind” trail running group on Sundays locally and this week? We had, like a million people show up. Okay, maybe not a million, but it felt like it.
Here is a picture of our group running through the woods.
Do you see all the color specks in the trees? How cool is that! In reality I’m guessing we had 30 people? But I may be off because – as I’ve told you recently – I’m awful with guessing numbers. It might have been 100 people, or it could have been 10. Let’s say it was something between 10 and 100. Either way? A LOT OF PEOPLE CAME TO OUR LITTLE GROUP!
It’s really fun to introduce people to trail running. The first time I tried to join one of these groups – it didn’t go that well. It was okay, but I overheard some snarky commentary about people who “think they’re trail runners” and it took a lot to try not to cry and I never joined another group as a newbie since.
Last Spring, Chelsea and I were training for a local trail race with another friend and we thought: Hey. We should invite other people! Because we knew there were a lot of people like us, casual runners intimidated by the fast groups. And so the NRLB Sunday Group was formed. Some weeks we have 7 people, some weeks we have 7 million.
Either way? It’s always my favorite run of the week. It’s relaxed, it’s fun, and it’s trail running for the sake of trail running. Not for time or speed or intensity, just because we all like running in the woods.
And speaking of trail running…remember my big 50K that I’ve been training for since 2011? We got our “last minute” email last night. Check out the second paragraph.
That paragraph makes me SO EXCITED if you can believe it! It know it sounds terrifying, but I’ve run those trails so many times now that the description actually makes me say, “HELL YEAH!” more than anything.
Let’s just not discuss the fact that I’m nursing a REALLY bad groin strain right now that seems to be worse this morning than it was last night.
I’ll be resting for the next 5 days. Not one run until Mountain Mist. Please send my groin healing thoughts.
(It would be really funny if my religious friends could actually put my groin on your prayer list. I mean, I’m kinda joking..but kinda not. I need all the help I can get and it hurts bad this morning.)
We’ll be praying for you and specifically your groin. ???? love you sister!
Those question marks were supposed to be a wink face. But for real, prayers will be said! Hugs!!
HA! Every time I type the letter “B” and then a parenthesis on my blog it gives me smiley/sunglasses – So I have the OPPOSITE problem. It gives me smileys when I don’t want them! 🙂
Your no runner left behind group is the best! I don’t think there is any way I’d be running Mountain Mist this week if I hadn’t shown up to your group last February! You and the people I’ve met have been so motivating that I’ve found a new love for running and for 50Ks! Saturday I said out loud for the first time that I was thinking about a 50-miler!
The Sunday morning runs is what got me hooked on trail running. It is SO MUCH MORE fun than running on the road.