Women Can Run/Walk

Event provides catalyst for healthy lifestyle, friendships

From left, Jane Gunter, Vicky Reeves and Sara Patterson get ready for a run in Cabot on Saturday morning. Reeves and Patterson are co-coordinating the Women Can Run/Walk clinic in Cabot this year.
From left, Jane Gunter, Vicky Reeves and Sara Patterson get ready for a run in Cabot on Saturday morning. Reeves and Patterson are co-coordinating the Women Can Run/Walk clinic in Cabot this year.

On a brisk Saturday morning, a group of women gathered at Southside Elementary School in Cabot. Bundled up in sweatshirts and running pants, the runners adjusted their earmuffs and gloves before beginning the first journey of their morning.

The workout began with a brisk run north on South Pine Street, and as the women splintered off into smaller groups, it became obvious this was not just about getting their heart rates up and improving their personal records. This activity was about friendships, encouragement and having fun.

Vicky Reeves, one of those runners, said she is thankful for the group of women with whom she runs. The accountability and fellowship are important, she said, and her friends help her push to the next level in their sport.

In March, Reeves will co-direct the Women Can Run/Walk clinic in Cabot for the second consecutive year. She initially got involved with Women Can Run/Walk five years ago, and she said that is how she met many of the women she runs with on Saturday mornings.

“We all run different intervals,” she said. “We all run different mileage. Our motto is that we don’t leave anyone behind.”

Women Can Run/Walk is a statewide program that gives women at any fitness level a chance to learn proper running techniques and improve their abilities. The program, which is associated with the Women Run Arkansas running club, includes a 10-week free clinic and ends with a 5K in Conway.

Statewide Clinic Director Linda Starr has been in that capacity since 2002, about five years after the program started. At the time she took the helm, the clinics were in four cities, but the program has grown significantly since then.

“Last year we had almost 50 clinics,” Starr said. “There were close to 8,000 people in the clinics. Right now I think we’re sitting right at 40 clinics this year, but there is still time to add more.”

The clinics, Starr said, often have a variety of runners. All of the participants are women, but they range from beginning walkers to experienced runners.

“We have a lot of beginners. We probably have more beginners than seasoned runners,” she said. “We’ve had ladies who have come to our clinics who are in their 70s who have never done any kind of physical activity. They complete the clinic and then walk the whole race.”

Some women continue running or walking after the 5K in May, and some participants may decide running or walking may not be their cup of tea. Women Can Run/Walk is not about converting people into runners, Starr said. It’s about instilling self-confidence.

“Our goal is to get these women out of the house and get them feeling better about themselves so they can be better role models for their families, friends and co-workers,” Starr said. “It’s just been really rewarding to see what it has done for other women.”

Reeves knows firsthand the kind of impact Women Can Run/Walk can have on people. She said she was not a runner before she signed up with the organization five years ago, but she plans to complete her fifth half marathon soon and has signed up for more.

Like Starr, Reeves wants women to feel comfortable during their clinic. There are several groups within the clinics to make sure women are comfortable with the starting pace, and Reeves said participants can move around until they find where they need to be.

“I know we’ve got a couple girls who have signed up to be a Beginner B runner, and I really think they can be intermediate or advanced,” she said, offering an example. “I don’t want you to quit because you’re not in the right group. The main important thing is for you to feel comfortable where you’re at. It’s all about getting you moving. You also develop awesome friendships that will last you forever.”

To Reeves, Women Can Run/Walk has a two-fold mission: to promote a healthier lifestyle and to create a catalyst for awesome friendships to form.

“The biggest thing for me to see is that these women stick with it,” she said. “At the end of the clinic, they’ve developed friendships and still call each other and encourage each other.”

The night before the Women Can Run/Walk 5K on May 9 in Conway, participants are invited to a pasta party at First United Methodist Church in Conway. Starr said the pasta party is always a fun and filling event, and it is a good way for women to get excited about the race.

Each year, the pasta party includes an inspirational speaker. This year’s speaker is Beth Shluger, CEO and executive director of the Hartford Marathon Foundation and race director of the ING Hartford Marathon.

The Hartford Marathon Foundation produces more than 50 fitness events annually, and in March 2013, the team raised $500,000 for the Sandy Hook School Support Fund by staging a 5K race. The ING Hartford Marathon has produced $78 million in economic impact and raised more than $6 million for charities since the race started.

Women Can Run/Walk clinics will start March 1. For more information on Women Can Run/Walk, including clinic locations, visit www.womenrunarkansas.net.

Staff writer Angela Spencer can be reached at (501) 244-4307 or aspencer@arkansasonline.com.

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