Empowerment through Running
Holy Cross is celebrating its 50th Anniversary of coeducation from Fall 2022-Spring 2024 to commemorate the arrival of women on campus in 1972! Highlighting the many achievements of women throughout the years at Holy Cross, the college is hosting many events, speeches, and presentations to reflect on past successes and empower future generations of women at Holy Cross to continue to break barriers and lead the way. One exciting event is a campaign by Holy Cross Student Wellness Education to empower those on campus who identify as she or they through training for a half marathon on April 30th!
Not only is this an incredible opportunity to challenge yourself in a supportive atmosphere and train for a *free* half marathon, it is also a way to break into a historically male dominated space. Coincidentally, the same year that women could enroll in Holy Cross (1972) was the first year that they could officially race the Boston Marathon. As a runner myself, I am so excited that a HC student organization created a program that empowers others through athletics–one that I will definitely be joining in. It is also important to note that this program is not just for people who already run, but for all who are looking to push themselves and see what they are capable of. Even though I consider running a huge part of my life and mental health, it was not always that way. In fact when I first started I thought about quitting so many times because I simply did not think I had what it takes to be a “runner”. Now, I have come to learn that anyone can be a runner with the right mental attitude and with people to help them along the way.
So, in order to help more people reap the benefits of running and hopefully join in on SWELL’s half-marathon, I thought I would share my best running tips that I have learned throughout the years to get over the initial hurdles that may come with committing to a training plan, so grab your sneakers and lets hit the ground running!
1. Start with what you are comfortable with
One of the hardest parts of starting to run consistently or committing to a training plan is comparing yourself and your progress to others. Not only will this take all of the satisfaction away from surpassing your own milestones, it can also lead to injury if you are starting at a more advanced level than what your body is ready for. The phrase slow and steady wins the race is 100% true when it comes to running.
2. Find a group
I have come to realize that I find so much more joy through running when I run with a group. There is nothing more inspiring and motivating than feeding off each other’s energy and leaning on each other to get through a tough workout. This is why SWELL’s half-marathon group-training is such an amazing way to celebrate empowerment and progress.
3. Do not underestimate properly warming up and stretching
It was sadly way too far into my running career that I truly leaned into proper stretching and warming up before a run or workout. It may seem like a chore, but I promise your body will thank you for staving off injuries and allowing you to run faster and longer. Stretching routines develop overtime, so my suggestion would be to start by looking up ways to stretch certain muscle groups that may feel sore after you run and to make sure it feels good!
4. Proper running shoes are key
When I first started to run, I spent far too many miles on the road in sneakers that were not supportive and did not suit my running style. It is so important to help your legs out in any way you can when you start to ramp up the mileage, so I would highly recommend going to a running specialty store where you can get professional advice on the best running shoes for you.
Here are some options near Holy Cross:
Marathon Sports in Shrewsbury, MA
Sneakerama in Worcester, MA
PR Running in Westborough, MA
5. Positive mental attitude–no matter what!
This is the most important advice I could ever give to someone contemplating starting their running journey or starting to train for a race. Making progress in running simply is not possible without a strong and positive attitude: my old coach always used to say that running is 10% physical and 90% mental–it took me a long time to truly realize this. There will be times that you feel on top of the world and feel so confident in your running journey, and there will be other times that you question it all. But what makes you a “runner” is showing up and continuing to work on yourself no matter how hard and discouraging it can feel. There is truly nothing we cannot do when we believe in ourselves!
Information on the half-marathon training plan and how to sign up can be found on instagram, @hc_swellness or holycross_clubxctf.
(This advice is based on my experience with running for many years, but it may not reflect what is best for your body–I am not a professional, just someone who loves to run)