YMCA 10k Training Team Participants Take Steps To Fitness Goals

“This is like a big reunion!”

Those were the words of David Renn around 7:30am this past Saturday morning at the kickoff of the 2016 YMCA 10k Training Team. David is a long-time coach for the team at the Shady Grove YMCA, and he was describing the feeling of seeing so many friends and familiar faces, both coaches and participants, making their way through the parking lot for the first group run. Despite the chilly temperature, there was plenty of excitement to get training underway for the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k on April 9.

The scene described above took place at 16 YMCA branches across the region, as well as the Richmond Community Hospital and the Bellemeade Community Center, as the YMCA 10k Training Team began its 15th year. The 10-week program helps walkers, joggers, and runners of all skill and experience levels get ready to achieve their fitness goals during the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k. Participants receive individual training plans as well as advice, guidance, and encouragement from the volunteer coaches. They also meet for weekly Saturday group runs, the highlight of the program for many people.

The coaches strive to provide an effective training program in a fun, stress-free environment. They know the structure of the program is what makes it successful, but they also realize the importance of fostering a welcoming atmosphere.

“I like it when the coaches can joke around and keep things light and loose,” said John Hurley, who is in his 12th year as head coach at Shady Grove. “When the participants see the coaches having fun, they know it’s okay to have fun, and it spreads to the whole group.” And if you spend any time around John Hurley you’ll see very quickly that he practices what he preaches – and with great results.

This mindset is especially important for participants joining the training team for the first time. They may be unsure about what to expect or intimidated by the thought of more experienced runners. But those concerns quickly fade away once they’re greeted by the smiles of coaches like Hurley and Renn.

Many people took their first steps towards their fitness goals on the opening day of the YMCA 10k Training Team. They may have been going at different speeds, but they all have the same objective: to find their place at the finish line of the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k on April 9.

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More information on the YMCA 10k Training Team can be found at www.sportsbackers.org. Registration is available through February 14.