What is the Challenge of the Women’s Fall Challenge? Each walker or runner or wheeler brings their own to this event.
For the truly competitive, these ladies know their times from other events or from training and are trying to improve upon them. For a few, the medals are an important reminder of their performance on that day. But for most, the challenge is the completion of the distance chosen.
I am not a runner, yet I have run the half marathon two times. Why? To prove to myself that I could do it. The second time my only goal was to beat my first time. I had no aspirations to compete with the elite runners. I just wanted to do my best, finish the distance and be pleased with my effort.
Yes there is competition but most runners run against themselves, push themselves to do more or do better or go faster.
What about the walkers? There are some competitive and very active walkers in our community. They too push themselves to get further and go faster.
For the majority of our participants, there is no real goal. These ladies delight in the community, the camaraderie and the sisterhood of this event. Timing is not a factor. The aim might just be to get out on a Sunday morning and take a walk that they might never otherwise do. Some ladies are keen to support the fund raising efforts and are far more interested in the progress of the donation activity than on the walking place.
The challenge for every individual participant is personal. We have breast cancer survivors delighting in their ability to just be there! We have ladies who have worked hard to lose weight and are now setting new and exciting goals to see what their new body can do.
We have ‘mature’ women who have been part of this event for years and bring smiles to all around them. We have volunteers who perform very important support and safety functions. They also offer loud and frequent cheers to all going by. Please thank them as you go by.
Will you bring your own challenge to this year’s event on Sunday October 1st and join us for a lovely morning along Dragon Lake?
Registration forms are available at the Arts and Recreation Centre or you can go to strideandglide.ca to register online.
-Submitted by Liz-Anne Eyford