Everything is better with friends (even a marathon)
“Have you ever thought about running a mini or a full marathon?” I asked my friend Amanda as 2021 was coming to a close. It turns out she had, and bringing it up was the push we both needed to commit to a new fitness journey that turned into much more.
Running became a central part of my world in middle school when I joined the cross country and track teams, sports I continued through college. My time and energy were dedicated to staying in shape throughout each season (and off-season). Friendships formed through hours of training, long bus rides to meets and cheering one another on toward the finish line. The adjustment to post-college fitness was not an easy one: I never learned to love solo running, but I also struggled to feel excited about other types of exercise. That’s why without designated practice times with friends who helped me stay motivated, I fell into a routine where working out just didn’t happen.
There’s nothing like a freezing run through the snow with friends! (From left to right: Melissa Ranck, Amanda Thompson, Erin Wessels)
Seventeen years and three kids later, I’d gotten back in the habit of near-daily home workouts, but I felt ready to take my fitness back to a higher level and missed the social aspect of exercising with friends. And so began a journey toward the goal of running the 2022 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon! Amanda and I started running a few mornings a week in January, and our friend Erin pretty quickly joined us. The two of them also did an early morning boot camp on the days we didn’t run, but I wasn’t ready to commit to 6 a.m. workouts in the frigid Indy winter (more on that later) and kept up with my home workouts on those days.
Early morning bootcamp!
Looking for a fabulous and supportive community? Consider joining Melissa and friends outside the College Avenue Library, 6:00 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings!
We ran at a pace that worked for great conversation, so we began to share life on a near-daily basis, texting funny updates about our poor aging bodies or hilarious GIFs about everything from our children and husbands to bodily functions. Running as a trio was great–when any one of us was feeling disheartened, someone else was feeling pretty good and able to keep us moving. We were committed to showing up for each other…and none of us wanted to miss out on the great conversation we knew the other two would be having if we skipped a run!
Erin, Melissa, and Amanda at a Dino Trail Run in March 2022.
READ THIS NEXT: Our fave free fitness channels on Youtube
Amanda, Melissa, and Erin pre-race at the 500 Festival Miler Series 10-miler.
As the Mini drew near, we worked through aches and pains, illness, and even injuries. Some days it felt like Russian roulette, where we didn’t know who would have to bow out of a run to have some extra recovery time. Sadly, Erin had to miss the Mini when her hip was giving her trouble, but she was a rockstar cheerleader, accompanying us to packet pick-up and the starting line (as well as our pre-race massages, of course!).
Amanda and Melissa just before the start of the Mini.
Finishing the Mini was a huge accomplishment, as was getting back in shape and following through to reach the goals we’d set. Even better, the depth of friendship that comes from a shared goal and hours (and hours…and hours…) spent training together is a gift that makes all the effort so worth it. Prioritizing self-care has become a habit for us–enough that I’ve settled into a willing routine of attending 6:00 a.m. boot camp with my pals, and while the wake-up time is painful, I never regret it!
Still smiling as we head toward the Mini finish line!
