It takes a team

It may be considered an individual sport, but the further I move toward my running goals the more I see it takes a team.

In March when I made the decision to shift my focus from journalism to running I approached it, and continue to approach it, in the way I have approached most things in life: with intensity.

The beauty of shifting my focus to running is it’s the most natural thing I know. While still intense, I also feel a certain peace when I run. It doesn’t feel forced. This doesn’t mean it doesn’t require a lot of hard work, discipline and commitment (it does), but it also requires a team, the people in my life supporting me in different roles and in different ways.

I have a rock solid partner who believes in me and, as a former collegiate basketball player with a PhD in kinesiology, she knows her stuff. I have a coach who cares and knows enough to hold me back when I want to push too hard and who lets me push when it’s best to push.

Then there’s others who help keep my head straight. I’m starting to recognize the important role professionals and psychologists play, but I’ll get into that more in the future.

For now, I’m so thrilled to be writing about another major support. New Balance Canada is coming on board. I’m pumped to be working with this company.

As I wrote last week, I’ll be doing a training race on July 12, the River Run Classic here in Saskatoon. I’m going to be running the 10K. This will give me a nice gage of where I’m at and also allow me to feel what it’s like to race again. I haven’t raced since last September at the Mogathon. That was as successful first half-marathon. It’s time to feel out a 10K in preparation for selecting a peak/goal race for the fall.

I hear the course is flat and fast. I also know I’m not to go all out on this one. Even though it’s not a peak race, I’m sure looking forward to getting to the starting line knowing I wouldn’t be on this journey without tremendous support. I’m so very grateful for this team that’s emerging.