CNYRunner mentioned Darcy Wakefield in her daily post today, and in case any of you have time on your hands, I thought I'd post one of my past running columns (I write for the local paper) that included Darcy's book. You can skip the middle part, an attempt to nudge non-runners out the door, but do finish up with the last paragraph. I hope you'll want to read the book. --Amy Last things, last times. Some life events are marked by observances so that you remember them as being “the last.” You may recall your last day in high school or the last Christmas your kids believed in Santa. Perhaps you’ve given up a bad habit but still vividly recall your last cigarette, double scotch, trifecta bet or banana split. There are so many other things or occurrences that we enjoy for the last time without the knowledge that indeed, this is the last. When was the last time you spent a summer afternoon lying in the grass looking up at the clouds or the last time you swung on a swing? The last firefly or butterfly you caught in a jar and tried to keep alive? One of my favorites pieces on running, “I Remember Running,” was written by Darcy Wakefield. At 33, Darcy was diagnosed with ALS (“Lou Gehrig’s disease”), a fatal condition. Before long, she was unable to run. After recounting some of the places and times she had especially appreciated running in her life, she went on to describe herself as “continuously mourning running.” Reflecting back, she tells us she wished she had known those were her last runs because “I would have appreciated every hill, every post-run high, every minute my legs moved in that way we call running.” Even for those of us who love running, there are days when we head out for our regular jaunt with more of a sense of obligation than joy. Sometimes it is because the weather threatens, or maybe we’d rather knock off and stay in bed, or accept that invitation to lunch with office colleagues. Sometimes it is because following a training schedule can become tedious or confining (‘but I don’t want to do speed work today!’). Still, anyone with a “runner’s soul,” as Darcy Wakefield portrayed herself, will soon miss running if prevented from doing it for too very long. A good run can provide you private space for pondering a work-related issue or a personal dilemma. You think about things a little differently when your body is in motion and you are taking in the features of the season: warm summer breeze, crisp fall air, sparkling winter sun on white snow, the greens of spring, the waters of March. At other times, it’s pleasant to create an escape and listen to music or a book as you put in the miles. For those of you reading this who do not run, take a moment here and try to remember the last time you ran. I don’t mean running to catch a bus or plane, or running after your child or dog that got away from you. I mean running the way you see children run in an open field. Not running for a purpose, but just running for running’s sake. Running because it felt good, because walking wasn’t enough, because you it made you happy just to be running. Now that you remember that last time, just think: it doesn’t have to remain the last time. It is so much easier than you might imagine to start running regularly again. How will you know whether or not you have a runner’s soul if you don’t at least try running for fun? [Being a lawyer, I am duty-bound at this junction to interrupt myself and put in the necessary caveat here about consulting a doctor before you take up any exercise program, but you knew that, didn’t you?] Two of the beauties of running are that you need not invest a lot of money in equipment and you can start a running program by stepping right outside your door. Before you take that step, however, you do need to spend some money. This is not the time to do what I did years ago, which was to start running in my Tretorns. These were fantastic shoes for playing tennis but all wrong for running. Your running shoe selection needs to be based upon the size of your arch, the way your foot lands when you run, and your size. Do not buy your shoes at a discount mart and do not buy them by color! Running in cheap or ill-fitting shoes is an invitation to injury. The Journal ran a detailed article about buying running shoes just a few weeks ago; do look it up and follow the advice contained there. The Runner’s Shop in Rapid City is a good place to start for solid shoe selection advice. Once you have your shoes, you need a place to run. We are blessed with the bike path here in Rapid City. If you cannot think of where to start, find one of the many spots along the path. I love the rose garden near the Berlin Wall memorial, and so appreciate the flowers and herb garden by the sundial. There are mile markers built into the pavement for your convenience if you run by distance. The other way to run is by time; then of course, you just need a watch. Running near your home is an option; just use your car’s or a bicycle odometer to measure out a route. For a beginner’s plan, a 3-mile loop (or 1.5 mile out-and-back) would be sufficient. To minimize the possibility of injury, you should follow a plan of some sort. “Hey! Wait a minute,” you’re thinking, “what about all that joy of running? A plan sounds like work, or a diet.” No, not the kind of plan I mean. Think of it as a guideline. If you can walk 2-3 miles at a stretch at present, a plan will help you to reach a level of running 3 miles in about 8 to 10 weeks. Really. You could plan on running the Turkey Trot November 22 in Rapid City and even win a pie! (This is an annual event sponsored by the Black Hills Running Club every Thanksgiving morning; a great way to do something healthy on the holiday, and all entrants are eligible for the great pie give-away after the run. Hundreds of pies are given out by lottery.) Go ahead—pencil it in. You can do it! A good plan should start with alternating jogging and walking, at least at first. It should have you taking periodic rest days. At a minimum, you need to devote 20-30 minutes a day on no less than 3 days a week. You’d want to alternate an active day with a rest day. If that seems too light, by all means, cross-train on some of the alternate days, e.g., bike, swim, walk—any other low impact activity. If you want to print out some plans, here are a few websites with good, basic start up plans for you: the “Couch Potato to 5K Plan” is a favorite of mine: www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml. Another good starter’s site is run by Jeff Galloway, a former Olympic athlete who advocates walk breaks for all levels of runners, including elites: www.jeffgalloway.com/training/5k.html There you have it; all you need to start running again. While I know that some run in my future will be my last, I am hoping it is in the far distant future. In the interim, I try to remember to appreciate each day I am able to run; I know that running makes my life more balanced and joyous. It could add an extra dimension to yours. After she could no longer run, Darcy Wakefield goes down to the beach near her home one night, takes off her shoes, and starts moving along the cold sand in circles. She relates that if you had seen her, you wouldn’t have called what she was doing running, but it was good enough for her. She confides that this is what she thought that night as she gave thanks: “We are so lucky to be able to do this, all of our nerves and muscles working together as we move ourselves forward to do this thing we call running.” See you on the bike path!

A great article and extraordinarily well written! Thank you for the post.

Thank you Amy.

aamos - your writing is as moving to us who can't do it as is regaling in your races. I hope your editor links up an aamos anthology someday ala Joe Henderson and maybe add the great one too.

"i remember running like i remember the sun-filled beach days of my childhood. i remember running like many remember their first love, their first kiss, their wedding. i remember running and feel the ache of absence, the heavy reminder that my life will never be the same again. i am continuously mourning running." you can still listen to her beautiful and heartbreaking 2003 commentary on the npr web site: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1550798 "...i look down at my feet only to realize that i have on my favorite running sneakers. it is sunny but not humid with a slight breeze; perfect running conditions. i pick up my feet... and run."