Groundhog Run, Family Style

My fellow Groundhogs!

Running hasn’t been my thing lately. After knee surgery for a torn meniscus in August I just haven’t gotten back into the groove. My good knee is not happy and my bad knee is still not back to normal so running has turned into walking, which has turned into not much motivation at all. I needed a way to jump start my routine and get me moving again.

What better way to get things moving then to sign up for a race, and raise some money for the Arthritis National Research Foundation through the Racing For A Cure team. I knew just the run I needed to do. For the fourth consecutive year I participated in the TLC Groundhog Run in an underground mine/storage facility and designated that as my fundraising event for the year. To make the most of my day since I would be walking most of the route I invited my daughter Lyndi and granddaughters Grace and Tara to keep me company.

Two to three times a week I hopped on the treadmill, going a little further each time. The goal was to not stress my knees as they slowly recovered but to still build some strength and endurance. By race day I was confident I could do the walk without aggravating my tendons and joints.

As race day neared two friends also planned to make the trip into the tunnels. Stacey K. and Kate H. were joining me for the trip to Kansas City. Life always has a way of messing with the best laid plans and Stacey had to pull out at the last minute for a family emergency. So Kate and I picked up Lyndi, Grace, and Tara and headed to Kansas City.

It’s always fun when my running friends get together. Throw two rambunctious girls in the mix and the

So proud of these two sweethearts!

fun really begins. Grace is 10 years old and has completed one other 5K run. Tara is 7 and really had no idea what she was getting into and no concept of how long it would take to walk 3 miles. We planned to walk the entire route but Tara and Grace started out running ahead, then waiting for us to catch up. That lasted about one mile. Then they started to tucker out. Tara offered to just sit down and wait for us to come back to get her, which wasn’t an option since we were in a mine with no way to get back to her. Grace developed a side stitch and was none too happy to have to walk her way through that pain. But they didn’t give up. They kept on going. When we rounded the last corner and heard the music playing at the finish line they knew they had made it. We were some of the last to finish the 5K but that doesn’t matter to me. We finished as a family and the girls learned that they can do more than they think they can, even finishing a long long walk when they would have rather stopped.

I learned that spending time on physical activities is the best medicine for curing lack of motivation. It’s gotten me moving again and looking forward to the next challenge. I still have to let me knees heal so I can’t get too crazy but I am ready to tackle a little more distance. When my knees are better I’ll start throwing in some running intervals. It may take a long time, but I’ll get there if I just keep going.

A totally unique place to run. 

As for Kate, she tackled the 10K and smashed her personal best by over 2 minutes! I like to remind her that not so many years ago she told me she couldn’t run well. She is another inspirational person to me because she never lets the belief that she can’t do something stop her from doing it anyway! I am so blessed to be surrounded by positive people who lift me up and drag me to a better place.

My fundraising efforts were also a success as I raised almost $1,000 for the ANRF. May they use the money to fund the scientist or doctor that will find a cure or better treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis. My granddaughters are already talking about doing another 5K. The family that runs together, finished together!