MIT Banquet

"MIT"  in Columbus, Ohio stands for "Marathon in Training", not to be confused with MIT - that technical school in Boston.  When it first started it was with the idea that new runners could join a group to help them prepare for running their first 1/2 or full marathon.  The great thing about it is that there are training programs available online to help follow and they include different levels of experience.  There is also have a place to meet 2 days a week with a set route and hydration set up along the way.  On Saturdays, when we do our long runs, we are split up into different pace groups.  There is everything from a walking pace group to an 8+ (meaning faster) pace group.  They even added 2 new programs this year for a walk/run group and a "No Boundaries" group to help very new runners train for their first 5k.  Wednesdays, there is an option for speed work at a track or another group run.  Other benefits are educational talks/seminars provided each week prior to the runs on various topics, including, but not limited to:  hydration/food needs, planning for the race, injury prevention, heart rate training, etc. and we get discounts to many races and the Fleet Feet running store.   Through the years, this "group" has grown from just over 20 people to 500+ this year. 

Although the group originally started to help with a "first race" many people who join continue to come back each year.  This is what happened to me, I have been with the group a little over 4 years.  I joined because I wanted to continue to train for 1/2 marathons and didn't want to do it by myself.  For me, it is really motivating to have other people to talk to, laugh with, and just run with in general to make the time pass by.  It wasn't until after I joined the group that I even thought a full marathon was possible.  This group not only helped me to complete my marathon, but made it a fun experience as well.  Last year I was asked to help coach and at first this seemed very daunting to me because I don't think of myself as being qualified enough to coach, but somehow I was talked into it and glad that I was.  I helped the 1/2 marathon group train for the spring race and for the fall I helped coach my first marathon group.  It has been just as much fun for me to see other people new to running or restarting again, go through their "firsts" and realizing all that they can do! 

Each year towards the end of the season there is a banquet hosted for all the members to attend.  It is fun to get dressed up and actually see people in regular clothes and eat/drink food other than gu's, blocks, gatorade, and water.  It is amazing how different people look when they have on regular clothes and their hair is done!  It is also a chance for the coaches to get stressed out and pick out awards for their group and to have to get up and make a speech.  This was especially challenging task this year because the "10 minute group" that I help to coach has grown from one of the smaller groups to one of the biggest with just over 60 people!  However, after a few discussions we were able to come up with 2 very deserving people for these awards.  

Christopher Neihoff (second from right) recieved the Most Improved Award and Wanda Vansickle (far right) recieved the Spirit Award.

The Happy Coaches (Brenda, Myself, Kristen), we are done with the speech - of course Kristen talked the whole time, so Brenda and I just had to stand up there with her!  These two gals have great and I have really been blessed to be able to run with them these past few years! 

Best wishes to anyone that is running a race in the next few weeks.  I know there are many, but the ones I know of are Chicago and Columbus! 

For more info on a local running club in Columbus, check out MIT  and for the Phoenix area check out 1st Marathon

Happy Running, my friends!