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RACE


Continued from Page 19


“I run in the morning and it’s just a really good way to start the day,” he said. “Most mornings, it’s really dark and no one is up yet. I run out in the country and there’s a bunch of stars out. It’s very peaceful.” Long dirt road runs are what Whit- more said works best for him, but Oklahoma’s major cities and smaller towns are also beginning to accommo- date the avid runner. Remember the 10 race founder and chair Kerry Alex- ander said both Oklahoma City and Tulsa have strong running communi- ties when compared to other cities of a similar size and demographic. “There are beautiful, great places to run—whether it’s Lake Hefner in Okla- homa City or along the Arkansas River in Tulsa, as well as many other loca- tions,” Alexander said. “You can get a run in at almost any length and do it in a scenic place that’s safe and protected from traffi c.”


As the running craze sweeps across


Oklahoma and the country, commu- nities are scrambling to organize new race events and offer fun options for both the 5K amateur and the veteran marathoner. Runningusa.com reports a record number of 30 U.S. half-mara- thons with more than 10,000 fi nishers in 2011, and regional running sched- ules offer 5Ks and fun runs almost ev- ery weekend.


Eggleston, Rogers and Whitmore all said the biggest running challenge is fi nding the time to train. It can be dif- fi cult to wake up at 4 a.m. or pull your- self together after work for an evening run, especially when family and kids are involved. However, the personal accomplishment of fi nishing any type of race is worth the sacrifi ce; whether walking a one-mile fun run or running a major marathon, Eggleston and Rog- ers said it’s an experience of a lifetime. “It’s one of those things that if you’re a competitive person at all and you have a bucket list for your life, you put


Oklahoma Electric Cooperative employee Patti Rogers is an avid runner who works part-time at Norman’s OK Runner store.


those two things together and it’s a pretty neat deal,” Eggleston said. “It’s so inspiring,” Rogers said. “If


you’re not a runner and have never been in that environment, I encourage you to get out there, even if it’s just to support the runners.”


One mile at a time and one race at a time, runners are discovering the am- bition within themselves to set bigger goals and push past limits they never thought possible. In any race, it’s not where you start but where you fi nish, and crossing the fi nish line at any speed is a major accomplishment.


HelpFul SITES ABOUT RUNNING


Dgroadracing.comFleetfeetsports.comOkcmarathon.comOk-runner.com ✓ Oksportsandfi tness.comRedcoyoterunning.comRemembertheten.comRoute66marathon.comTulsarunner.com OL


20


OKLAHOMA LIVING


Photo by Gail Banzet


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