cart

Sports Backers Blog

Training Team Helps First-Timer Conquer a Half Marathon

After accepting a challenge from her boss, Coleen Hillen turned to the Sports Backers Half Marathon Training Team for guidance and motivation in her first race.

By: RaShauna Hobbs


Coleen Hillen, a participant in the 2011 Sports Backers Half Marathon Training Team, felt the old adage “It’s not the way you start but the way you finish” come to life as she crossed the finish line at last year’s race.

Before joining the training team, Coleen had never felt inspired or motivated to try running or any other athletic activity, despite her husband being an avid runner. Her competitive nature surfaced, however, when her boss challenged her to complete the 2011 McDonald’s Half Marathon (now the American Family Fitness Half Marathon) in Richmond. Coleen accepted, and she and a friend joined the Sports Backers Half Marathon Training Team to help them prepare.

“I really needed someone to force me to become accountable, and with the training team, I was able to get a lot of instructional direction,” explains Coleen.

She also said she learned how to pace herself and when to hydrate – both vital steps in the training process. The most important skill she learned while on the training team was “building the confidence to say, ‘Yes! I can do this every time I run.’” As the training season progressed, so did her mileage and pace, and Coleen frequently achieved PRs during her training runs.

In addition to her own newly-discovered dedication to running, Coleen’s coach was a major contributor to her success. “Our coach focused on each group’s abilities and paces,” she says. “They coached me at my level, and they anticipated any questions I had.” Her coach’s enthusiasm consistently raised her spirits with each run and was something to look forward to during her more difficult solo runs on weekdays.

Coleen is proof that hard work and perseverance are the keys to achieving goals, and she is thrilled to have progressed from barely being able to run a mile to crossing the finish line of a half marathon.

“There is really no reason not to join,” Coleen says of the training team. “You will be able to complete the runs, and if you are looking to run in Richmond, you just do it!”

The 2012 American Family Fitness Half Marathon is set to take place on November 10, but training kicks off on August 4 at City Stadium. Be a part of the Sports Backers Half Marathon Training Team’s success stories and register online at www.richmondmarathon.org.

Leave a Reply