Whenever I saw folks bounding down the side of the road, sweat pouring off their brow and a look of pain in their eyes, I always thought, “Now why would you ever want to do that for fun?”

I was never a runner, never desired to run and never enjoyed required running, especially the mile test, in high school gym classes.

There’s a reason people tell you, “Never say never.”

One press release changed that all. After reading about a running group forming to raise funds for the Center for Grieving Children and watching Biggest Loser contestants run a marathon, I thought, “If they can do it, why can’t I?”

While I didn’t join the running group or set my sights on a marathon, I signed myself up for a 5K. In the 10 weeks of training up to my FIRST 5K, I mostly ran on my own with my mom joining me on weekends. I set a goal for myself and worked up my endurance slowly using the Couch to 5K program. (Courtesy of technology today, I was able to download an application on my iPhone that had a little voice dubbed over my iTunes play list that said RUN when it was time to run and WALK when it was time to walk. That little voice is remarkably motivating.)

But, for someone who needs a little team motivation, Coreen Lauren leads various running groups in Portland. She said a lot of folks she works with can’t even walk for two minutes, never mind run, when they start out. Coreen encourages them to start slowly. Start with a 20-minute workout and run two minutes, then walk two minutes and repeat.

One of Coreen’s biggest focuses as well is breaking down the barriers of what it means to be a runner. Before I started running, I never considered myself athletic. Never thought I could run. Coreen encourages folks starting to run to think more positively about themselves and their abilities.

“I worked really hard teaching my mind about seeing myself as a positive image,” Coreen said, adding she also lets her trainees know, “it’s OK if you can only do two minutes today. Shoot for three minutes next week.”

I worked my way from struggling to make it through 60-second running intervals to 30-minute jogs and running the Goose Rocks Beach Association 5K Road Race on July 4th in 49 minutes (along with 13 family members who I roped into doing the race with me - that's Team TyeDye below plus a few of our cheerleaders).

I did not break any records, but the road race boosted my confidence. It must not have damaged my spirit either, because I signed up for my second 5K happening Monday. The goal — get it done in less than 49 minutes.

For Coreen, it’s just as inspirational to see her runners make great strides. Watching trainees cross the finish line during the recent Tri for a Cure, no matter how fast they ran, she recognized their accomplishments and so did they.

So if you’re interested in putting one foot in front of the other at a faster pace than walking, you might want to check out Coreen’s free and informal running group, which meets at 8 a.m. on Sundays in front of World Gym on Marginal Way, open to anyone interested. She said the group varies in paces from walk/jog combinations to 8-minute miles and in distances covered, so there’s something for everyone to share the same experience.

Most importantly though, invest in the right pair of running shoes, Coreen said. While there are a variety of locations that sell running shoes, she said Maine Running Company offers consultations to get the best fit.

“Every shoe is built specifically for people, how you walk and run,” she said. “What you wear on your feet is the most important and will impact how you feel.”

A good playlist can’t hurt either.

About this Blog

Weighing In is not just about one girl’s mission to shed pounds, but exploring the challenges that come with facing the scale, various ways to exercise the body and thoughts on living a healthy lifestyle.

Emma will share her story of losing weight (50 pounds and counting) and learning to love exercise, while incorporating the success stories of others and professional opinions on diet and exercise. She’ll also examine how media — news, magazines, movies and television shows — play a role in shaping society’s ideas about weight and health. So read on and weigh in.

About the Author

Emma Bouthillette is a native of Biddeford, a 2008 graduate of the University of New England and is pursuing her masters through the University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast creative writing program.

She joined the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram in September 2009, writing stories for Close to Home and the daily feature obituary. She enjoys a good book, has an entire closet devoted to art supplies and has discovered being a homeowner is not quite as glamorous as home decorating shows or magazines make it out to be.

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