T-E-A-M

It's amazing what a team can do for you.

I watched in anticipation as my alma mater Richmond Spiders competed in the Atlantic 10 cross country championships a few weekends ago. As soon as I found out that they had won the double gold, in the men's and women's races, I started jumping up and down---and I wasn't even there! Although I graduated two years ago, I still feel as though part of my heart is and always will be with this team. Especially impressive was the men's team, who won their first A-10 XC championship. Ten years ago this team was on the chopping block, when I was a freshman, I think there were six men on it, and on October 30, 2010, they became champions. What makes this spider men's team unique is that this is one of the only sports programs at UR that does not have scholarships. These men got the team to that championship podium, through hard work, sacrifice, dedication, and teamwork (and good coaching, of course!) Their story will always stand out in my mind---to motivate myself and inspire others.

As long as I can remember, I have been part of a team. Whether it was the all boys ice hockey team in middle school or the state runner up cross country team in high school, I have grown up with teammates. It was not until I left college that I really began to evaluate what a team is and how important it is to me personally. Teams are not for everyone, and oftentimes I get funny looks for how much I emphasize needing a team in my life. It is not that I am not self motivated, if that was the case, I don't think I would have accomplished half of what I have accomplished to this day. To me, a team can push you to limits that you may have never thought possible, and they can be there to see you through your best and your worst times.

I never considered my running career without a team---post graduation I moved to Charlotte, NC and was lucky enough to be dumped right into the middle of a new group of people as I met Caitlin Chriman, Jay Holder, Aaron Linz, Matt Jaskot, and others. We began to run together, some days doing workouts and others just runs. It was during this time that we all discussed how great it would be that we formed a running club, since there was no formal one in Charlotte at the time. We had fun themed workouts (St.Patrick's Day) and went to races to cheer each other on. We had dinners and other outings. Most of all, we had each other to push, motivate and lean on. It is not a new idea that runners tend to flock together. I have found this to be true, simply because we have a different lifestyle and mentality than the rest of the population. Not that we can't have a variety of friends, but just simply that we share so much of the same sweat, pain, and experiences.

I took on one of the biggest challenges of my life leaving those that felt like a family to me in Charlotte and moving to Boulder, CO where I knew no one. I thought that it would be easy to meet runners out here, I mean, come on, it is considered one of the running meccas of the US, but I was wrong. My running took sort of a back seat simply because I felt a lack of motivation and could not find many others to relate to my running obsession (not to mention the altitude killed me). I ran at least 5 times a week, but they were just that---runs (no workouts, no hills)---at least the scenery was amazing! For the first time in my life, I was not part of a team, and I was struggling. It was not until January that I met Emma Keenan, who would become one of my best training partners out here. We decided to jointly sign up for Chicago and share in our first marathon experience. We tried to do at least one run a week, but our work schedules drastically varied. Emma ended up obtaining the last open spot on a team out here called Boulder Express and was able to join them for hills, workouts, and long runs. I became frustrated with my own training and simply did what I could.

As race day approached, I received a flooding of messages from former teammates and running buddies, people I haven't even spoken to since high school! The support from those people meant the world to me, and I knew that no matter what, all over the US I had the support of a conglomerate team. When I stood at the starting line on 10/10/10, I was no where near the fitness I wanted to be, but I had confidence that I would finish my first marathon and was comforted by the fact that my friends from all over the US were supporting me. My first marathon experience was amazing, one of the best days of my life, mainly because of the few fans I had in Chicago and those friends and family that flooded me with support.

When I returned to Boulder in mid-October I was determined to make the most of myself and my talents, no matter what it took. I got in touch with running legend Steve Jones and am now training with some girls under his coaching. And in just three short weeks, I am back to the familiar--the hills, the long runs, and the workouts. Since it has been so long since I have challenged my body in this way, it burns so much, but feels so good. And once again, I have a new group of girls there to support me, and I can do the same for them. And slowly but surely I am making my comeback. A comeback to the love of the sport that I have always had---I know that it was never really gone, but simply had to be brought out again with others by my side. As I look towards my dreams for my future in running, I look ahead with a smile for I know that no matter where I go, I will always have those runs of the past, that conglomerate of teammates that I have been touched by in all those years of my life and that will continue to support me for years to come.