If you Run, You’re A Runner
By: Emily Olmsted
I first found out about EPRC in January of 2022, when the club was still relatively nascent. My friends had been encouraging (read pestering) me to join and come try the Wednesday night runs. “It’s only a 5K,” they’d said. “You can run 3 miles, you play soccer,” they’d said. “It’s actually not that bad and everyone is really nice,” they’d said. I was not a runner. This did not sound like fun to me.
Finally, I gave in, and my first EPRC run was in March of 2022. My introverted husband had gone the week before when I was out of town and said that the leaders and members were very welcoming and he had a good time. Before the run, I was very upfront with the club leaders and made sure everyone knew I was not going to be running very fast. A lot of times folks bill themselves as “inclusive” and “for everyone” and then cater to the folks in the curve of the bell and not those on the edges. I knew this going into the run, and didn’t get my hopes up.
That run was not easy. However, not only did I finish the run (in a cool 48’33” or 14’38” average pace), my expectations of inclusivity were not only met, but exceeded and I was pleasantly surprised! Various leaders ran with me so I always had someone there the ENTIRE time and was never left behind. We chatted and laughed and they made it bearable. It was tough but I was happy I did it that once. I did not go back the next week.
Fast forward to the following week at soccer: my friends, who both play soccer and run with the club, reminded me that if I were to run more, and more consistently, I’d surely see the results in my soccer playing. So, begrudgingly, I admitted they were probably right and went back to EPRC the following week. And the week after. And the week after that. And after that. You get the point. The community was so welcoming, everyone actually was so nice. I looked forward to seeing my friends (yes, new friends!) each week and just ran the 3 miles with no goals in mind, not training for anything, just an excuse to see my friends and eat pizza afterwards.
I slowly got more confident and faster, but never really had any interest in running longer distances, so I just stuck with the Wednesday night runs. When my husband signed up to run the Rock ’n’ Roll® half marathon my friends once again “encouraged” me to sign up for it, too! I absolutely declined; running for HOURS? No thanks; you do you, but that’s not for me. So then they suggested doing the the 5K instead and I, somewhat less begrudgingly, agreed. I kept up the Wednesday runs and tried to push myself a little. Race day came around in March of 2023 and with no training besides just running consistently with EPRC, my official time was 29’25” at 9’30” average pace. Was I miserable? A little. (It was so cold in the beginning! And we had to get up SOOOO early! And then I was going to work directly from the finish!) Did I sprint the last quarter mile or so to get sub 30’? Sure did. Are there hilariously terrible FinisherPix of me looking absolutely wrecked at the finish line? Maybe…Come ask me after a run sometime! Am I glad I did it? You bet.
Since then, I have done a couple other 5K’s here and there but not much more than that as far as races go. Races aren’t really my thing. Firstly, they can be cost prohibitive. Secondly, they can feel like a lot of pressure. And thirdly, I work on Saturday and Sunday mornings when most races take place so the scheduling doesn’t really work out for me. As I mentioned before, longer distances never really appealed to me anyway, so I haven’t ever run longer than 4 miles, and I have no desire to do so. What I have done though is fallen in love with the community of Every Person Run Club. With EPRC, I’ve never felt pressure to run longer distances. They meet me where I am. Am I running sub 30’ 5K’s every week? Absolutely not, not even close. Am I having a nice time running and then hanging out with my friends after? For sure. I never would have considered myself a runner seeing as how I only run a few miles at a time, but as my friend and EPRC captain likes to say, “If you run, you’re a runner!” and I think that sums up EPRC. You don’t have to run fast, you don’t have to run far, you just have to show up and do what’s right for you and EPRC will support you every step of the way.