Wednesday morning coffee and chat

Wednesday, June 22, 2016 · Mike Davis

Good morning, Julie Butterfield joined our team at NFLR this past spring and recently completed "Road Runners Club of America" coaches certification course. Julie shared her thoughts on getting back into running and being a part of the running community. Enjoy... I first started running, or jogging as we called it in the 80’s, as a way to eat without going on a diet! At the time, my husband and dad were competitive marathon runners but that did not interest me at all. I just wanted to get out the door, jog 30 minutes and hopefully this would be enough to keep my weight down. I would start and stop according to the seasons and when aerobic classes became popular, I switched to this form of exercise because running clothes for women in the 80’s weren’t half as cute as the aerobic clothes…think Jane Fonda and her exercise tape (on VHS!) After I had children, I found that I only had time to get up at the crack of dawn and go for my usual 30 minute jog and that scene continued off and on for another 20 plus years. Every once in a while I would be convinced to sign up for a 5k but I hated racing. It hurt. I would always go out too fast and then have to walk the rest of the way. I actually ran a 5k once with the ambulance hot on my heels…that’s right…I was dead last! A couple of years ago I decided to get back into running and downloaded the Couch to 5k program on my phone which was life changing…running and walking 3 to 4 days a week with extended periods of running as the weeks went by and you became stronger. I finished the program and entered the 5k Jingle Bell Run to Cure Arthritis in Concord that year. I didn’t break any records or win my age group that day but I ran slowly in the beginning and maintained my pace throughout the race and finished with a smile. I had done something that 20 years before had been too difficult for my younger self. I was hooked! After running a few 5k’s, I focused on a 10k. I knew I really wanted to run The Market Square Day 10K since that was a race I had watched my husband and dad run for many years. I wasn’t sure how to train for it until I saw an ad for a beginner 10k training class at Runner’s Alley in Portsmouth. That’s where I met Mike, Jen and Kathy and began running with a group. It totally changed how I felt about running and I actually looked forward to the group runs in Portsmouth. Running at a conversation pace with people who ran a similar pace to mine was actually fun. Mike’s coaching added a feeling of confidence to our training and we all worked as a team to accomplish our goal. Last year at the ripe old age of 55 I ran my first 10K wearing my Navy hat in honor of my dad and all the times he ran that same route! As we came off Bartlett Street onto Islington, Mike, Jen and Roy (the cutest dog ever!) were at the corner yelling encouragement. They gave me the confidence to know that I could do this. Fast forward to now and I’ve completed many more races, did the Seacoast Series, ran in a half-marathon relay, completed a half-marathon and met so many great people who have also been training with Mike and his No Finish Line Running group. I am a healthy and fit 56 year old and running gives me confidence and strength (and a few aches and pains!) Who knows where our journeys will take us through the years but I feel so fortunate to have found the sport of running.