As we come off the shortest day of the year and the holiday hustle, barreling into the heart of winter, it can feel so tempting to curl up inside and let my running and walking shoes collect dust. Don’t get me wrong — I think it’s important to snuggle up with hot cocoa and a warm fire now and again to do a little winter hibernating. However, ideally, I’m balancing those winter self-care traditions with lots of meet ups with friends for long walks and family runs with my spouse and toddler. I know that is the only way I’ll embrace the snow and cold to enjoy winter, rather than just tolerate it.
But I haven’t always felt this way. Calling myself a runner is a relatively new title for me, let alone a winter runner! Like so many folks, I began my running journey during the pandemic. I’ve had a lifelong passion for movement and fitness, serving as a yoga and fitness instructor for more than a decade. But I unexpectedly fell in love with running after becoming a mom in 2020. I started daily walks with my husband, son, and dogs to help with serious baby blues, which seemed especially intense during the worldwide health threat and lockdowns at the time.
Those walks eventually, and unexpectedly, turned into family runs, which became an incredible family bonding experience for us all. We found that while running we were able to be more creative to work through the challenges of being new parents, all while getting in some physical exercise together outside! It was during one of our countless family runs that we decided we wanted to move to Traverse City, and another where we decided to buy a flower farm on Old Mission Peninsula to really put down roots in the community. Running on a regular basis soon became something I couldn’t imagine living without — rain, shine, or snow!
One of the first orders of business when we arrived in town was to become members of the Traverse City Track Club. I wanted to meet more folks interested in staying active and engaged with their community, which I found right away with the Traverse City Track Club. I was surprised and delighted to see so many fellow runners at my first Traverse City Track Club event — the Frozen Foot Race — last January.
Everyone seemed so happy to be out in the cold to run together. Runners embracing cold with a smile on their face and cheering each other on? I had found my people.
I’ve been so inspired by the Traverse City Track Club’s mission and work in our community that, even as someone who has never run further than a half marathon, I felt called to jump into a leadership role with the organization to elevate the cub’s proud tradition of community support and charitable giving even further, as well true inclusivity for folks of all abilities and stages of their running journeys.
So, as the new executive director of the Traverse City Track Club, and quite frankly a new runner, I’m here to encourage you to go grab that hot cocoa — after you meet up with me and your other soon-to-be-friends at the Traverse City Track Club!
With the help of our almost 1,000 members, you’re sure to find runners and walkers of all paces and ages to help you get moving outdoors. I’d love to meet you at one of our weekly Fun Runs, where you’ll find casual joggers (me!) and competitive runners alike.
Just show up, and we’ll make sure you get a buddy or two to take your mind off the chilly weather! That goes for our annual Frozen Foot Race coming up Feb. 3, too, where Traverse City Track Club members race for free and show up in full force to run along the beautiful East Bay together.
I look forward to walking (and running) in our winter wonderland with you soon.