Bitten by the Running Bug
By Pete Woody
“It was truly one of the greatest days of my life.”
That’s how Midlothian resident Julie Boucek describes her first experience in the 2011 Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k. But before she got to the finish line, she had to get her mind and body ready to run, and the YMCA 10k Training Team served as the perfect way to prepare for the big day.
The idea to run the 10k started in late 2010 with a social network status update from a friend. “I was sitting at home last New Year’s Eve when a friend put out a challenge to all his Facebook friends to sign up for the race,” Boucek said. “I immediately ignored the status update, but then I kept seeing people comment about how much they love the [Ukrop’s] Monument Avenue 10k and how it is a perfect first race for beginners.”
With a little liquid courage, Boucek made up her mind. “A couple of glasses of wine later, I surprised myself by commenting that I would sign up. And then I was terrified.”
With three children under the age of four and very little running in the last 20 years, Boucek had concerns about finding the time and fitness levels to train. “I thought, ‘How in the world am I going to run 6.2 miles?’ That seemed like a marathon distance to me. Fortunately, the same friend who challenged me to sign up for the race calmed my nerves by telling me about the YMCA 10k Training Team. I live near the Midlothian YMCA, so doing it there was an easy choice.”
For Boucek, the quality of the Training Team coaches was an important aspect in her race preparations. “Coach Ro Gammon was AMAZING. Seriously, AMAZING doesn’t even begin to explain how much I loved her, and how much she motivated all of us to get out there and not only run, but to have fun while running,” Boucek said. “All of the other coaches were amazing as well.” The other aspect was having the perseverance to stick with the training program and the belief that it would pay off. “It sounds cheesy, I know, but the main thing was just to keep showing up,” said Boucek. “We ran in the cold and rain, and while we were doing it, it was horrible…but it was also extremely beneficial on race day.”
Boucek had two goals for her first 10k: to finish without stopping for a walk break, and to cross the finish line smiling. The sight of other Training Team members from all over the Richmond area also helped energize her on race day.
“We all wore a sticker on our bibs to show we were part of the Training Team, and just seeing all of the other people who went through the same training I did was comforting,” said Boucek. “And the coaches along the race route were phenomenal…I finished the race strong with no breaks, and with a huge grin on my face!”
Boucek’s Training Team experience served as a catalyst for her to stay active, and she happily admits she’s been bitten by the running bug.
“Since the 2011 10k, I’ve run two half marathons, including the McDonald’s Half Marathon in November, and I have another half marathon lined up for early next year. And it all started with the 10k Training Team at the YMCA!”