Chapter 2 page 295 - TR 102 S.I.T. new runners

This post is just a little note about the awesome accomplishments of tonight's Spring Into Training participants.  This 10 week program has 42 people involved and is a program I lead/coordinate as part of my job.  Tonight we broke the 15 people who were willing to brave the rain, cold, and wind into 3 groups - runners, fast walkers who were interested in starting to run a little, and recreational walkers.  I marked off a 3 mile route for the runners and sent them on their way.  The fast walkers and I started off on a 2.3 mile route with my devil beeper interval timer set to do a 30 second run interval and a 2:30 minute walk interval.  As we started out, I reminded them about posture and breathing and rules of the road (they were forever on the incorrect side of the road).  We walked the first 5 minutes and then began with the first slow run for 30 seconds.  Initially I think everyone thought the 30 seconds was a long time, but as they got more used to the beeping and changing paces - they seemed to like it a little more. They all commented on how fast it seemed to be compared to staring at 2.3 miles on a treadmill.  At various parts along the route, we passed the other groups of runners and walkers.  Everyone was talking, meeting new people, and having fun - something that a lot of them didn't already associate with walking/running.  Mission accomplished!!!!