2013 DMB Freedom Run 5K Race Report - Catalyst Couch to 5K

For the past nine weeks, I have been leading a group of new runners at Catalyst Activewear (HERE) in Madison.  We met at the store every Wednesday night and ran together on the Olbrich Path.  It was fun watching them grow from struggling with one minute of running - to completing a practice 5K on the race course in Deforest after nine short weeks.

 

I choose the DMB Freedom Run (HERE) 5K in DeForest on July 4th for their event.

 

 

We met up at Firemen's Park on race morning, a hot, sunny and humid one.  After meeting up with other friends and family that were participating or spectating, we posed for a few, cute photos.

 

They were all decided out in new running shoes from Catalyst - a even a couple pairs of matching argyle compression socks and Bondi Bands!  I loved their enthusiasm with the sport of running - and running gear!

 

 

The fiancé also ran the 10K event. 

 

 

We knew exactly what was in store for us over the next 3.1 miles, since we ran the course the week prior.  Some of them even went out again on their own to test the distance a second time.  The first mile was flat through residential neighborhoods, then we proceeded up and down the only hill on the course.  I alternated back and forth throughout the participants on the race course, trying to help each of them along, at various points of struggling.  I distracted them with conversations, Fourth of July plans, and reflecting on their nine week journey to the startline.

 

After 41 minutes - all of them had completed the race!  The fastest in a swift 23 minutes and the rest scattered out on the course through 41 minutes.  We even met up with Chelsea and Josh from the group at the finish line, who we didn't have a chance to meet up with before the race.  There were lots of sweaty glows and smiles after their wonderful performance!  I'm so happy to have gotten to know each and every one of them and watch their enthusiasm grow and grow.

 

 

Congratulations Josh, Chelsea, Tammy, Shannon and Sara!!