04/05/01
Want to run your first marathon? Don't think it's possible?
Thousands of people, like Melody Reifel, make the decision
each year to alter their lifestyle and take on the challenge
to run a marathon.
Both George.W. Bush and Al Gore completed marathons, so did Oprah Winfrey. Many of the not so famous find the secret is maintaining a daily workout routine, choosing to live healthy and discovering that they can be their own heroes.
Melody Reifel, a mother of two from Chelsea, began training for her first marathon, the 1999 Detroit Free Press Flagstar Bank International Marathon after completing a half marathon with only four months training. Melody didn't consider herself an athlete but thought she was in decent shape. Using the Free Press training schedule, she slowly increased her weekly mileage to more than 25 miles. Most of her early training was run on a track. Equally timed laps helped her to determine how far she had run. Some days she would stuff popcorn kernels in her jacket for the required amount of laps and toss them out one by one as she completed a lap. Each new longer run was a challenge. After some runs she would feel miserable and hurt. But running became addictive once she learned she could continue adding one more mile to her training regimen. The challenges meant gaining power over her body and strength over her mind. Melody began to believe that she could do things that at one time didn’t seem possible. Today she is now the Assistant Athletics Director at Eastern Michigan University.
The key was deciding to make the marathon her goal then determining to follow a schedule. Non-running friends thought she was crazy but new friends she met through running supported her. Being able to eat anything she wanted and gain more energy was an incentive. Completing the goal consumed all of her free time. It had a positive effect on her boys, as they loved to listen to their mom express her excitement. Melody found running to be a convenient sport. Unlike golf, which could take up a lot more of her personal time and was expensive, running was just one step outside of her door.
The Race: Melody was nervous on race day but excited. She started slowly. Crossing the Ambassador Bridge, she couldn't believe she was really doing this. Upbeat and confident because she religiously followed the training schedule, yet in awe of the fast runners that she saw already far ahead. She found the view from Windsor inspiring and got a kick out of the hoopin' and hollering in the Detroit/Windsor Tunnel. Her slow start paid off late in the race. At mile 20, "The Wall of Pain" was nowhere in site. Instead she was passing the grunters and groaners despite nursing some nasty blisters. Blisters caused from running in thick socks and shoes that were more than a size too big making her think she was racing with water skis.
At the finish, Melody was all smiles. Some disorientation set in but all she could think about was getting her medal for completing the race. Like many first timers she kept her medal on throughout the next day to let all of her supporters know that she had accomplished something, which at one time seemed impossible.
If you want to read more about first timers pick up a copy of, "First Marathons — Personal Encounters With the 26.2-Mile Monster" by Gail Waesche Kislevitz. Great reading.
Running Tip of the Week: Develop a Routine! Without a routine, sticking with the plan is impossible. It usually takes three months to set a pattern to your daily activity.
Race of the Week: UM Heart Care Stampede of Races, Domino’s Farms, Ann Arbor, 9:00am, Sat., April 7. Contact Ann Boyd Stewart (734) 332-3981 or www.AthleticVentures.com
