This is Part 1 of the story. Click here for the post-race conclusion!
The plan to run in Ottawa on May 25, 2014 was conceived on May 19, 2013 at The Chocolate Bar in Cleveland, mere hours after crossing the finish line of the Cleveland Marathon and Half Marathon. At dinner, someone enthusiastically asked, “Where to next year?” My response was “Ottawa.”
I knew it was the 40th anniversary of Ottawa Race Weekend and thought it would be a great celebration. After all, who doesn’t like a party with 40,000 other people on a race course? We have all heard the old Chinese proverb that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. And so the journey began with a single step that 22 of us took by agreeing to be a part of Ottawa 2014.
We began plotting our girls’ getaway to Ottawa Race Weekend right after Cleveland. It was a group effort taking care of details: training schedule for long runs, quality workouts (thanks Coach Michele of the marathon group at Runners’ Choice), booking a bus, hotels and the all important pre and post race meals.
Recognizing that little pockets of our group knew each other but some individuals were still strangers, the decision was made to host an Ottawa Meet and Greet at Runners’ Choice in Waterloo to bring everyone together for an evening of fun, information and shopping. (Thanks to Geoff and Tiffany). This was the official start of our journey to Ottawa. A logo created for invitations to that night is now on shirts bearing all our names.
For some, the destination is still so far away they can’t even picture it yet. That is why we need to savour every day of the journey. That takes five months…maybe making it the more important part of the whole process. Now, all that is left is to continue the training. One gal on our bus is stepping WAY outside her comfort zone to be a part of it. Be sure to check back later to see if she preferred the journey or the destination.
Sandra Karl is a local runner and the organizer of the “22 from Waterloo” group. We encourage you to check back this summer to see how the ladies made out in their race! If you have a running story to share with RunWaterloo, send it to [email protected].
Hear 22er Penny Walford on TSN radio in Ottawa here. It aired on March 1. Skip to the 19:05 mark to hear the interview!
