United They Run

It all started three years ago.

A group of runners based in the West Orange area got together, through Tri & Run in historic downtown Winter Garden, and began training together for a few different marathons that were to take place roughly around the same time. 

Those events came and went, and the group of friends decided they rather enjoyed running together.

“We were kind of like, ‘Well, what do we do?’” Courtney Guillen said. 

What they did was to collectively sign up for another marathon to continue training together. More friends joined the group, others came through word-of-mouth, and today, the Winter Garden Runners club has about 100 active members.

The club runs four days a week — Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays — and meets in front of Winter Garden Pizza Company and Tri & Run before runs (at 5:15 a.m. for the weekday runs and at 6 a.m. on Saturdays). Each day has a different purpose: For example, on Mondays, the group will jog over to Division Street and run the hills.

The club, which operates a Facebook page where it will share updates from races and even highlight a runner of the month, has continued to grow and attract members of all sorts, including Steve McHale, a retired U.S. Marine Corps member and current athletic director for Ocoee High School.

“I just kind of gravitated to them,” says McHale, who had previously been training for a marathon alone. “The big thing is motivation and just the camaraderie that we have as a group. We push each other in so many ways — not just on a running level, but on a social level. If we’re having rough times with family or friends and need a little boost up, we’re kind of like a second family (to each other).”

Susan Lawless also was drawn to the group and has since embraced running so much that she now helps coach the cross-country team at Foundation Academy. With the group’s diverse and strong membership, Lawless says runners of all types can feel right at home.

“It’s awesome because we have a lot of different levels (of runners) — so, most times you have at least one other person who runs your pace,” Lawless says. “It’s a little less daunting than coming out to run with a group that just runs super fast.”

Throughout the years, many of those runners have progressed from the goal of simply wanting to complete a 5K and to drop a few pounds to running half- and full marathons. 

“It’s really cool to see the progression,” Guillen says.

The runners hold one another accountable: Someone who hasn’t shown up in a while is liable to get a friendly text. Of course, for many of them, skipping a run or two doesn’t even feel like an option because the morning routine has become as essential to their functioning throughout the day as coffee is for others.

“It starts my day,” Lawless says. “If I don’t have my run, I actually feel more tired (throughout the day).”

The group has benefited greatly from having the West Orange Trail to use. The route provides a scenic morning run through the big oak trees in Oakland, and members often are seen at Axum Coffee on Plant Street afterward — or frequenting the Winter Garden Farmer’s Market on a Saturday.

“It’s our biggest resource — we love that thing,” Guillen says. “My husband and I even moved closer (to downtown Winter Garden) because of the trail.”

For some, it is a social thing. Groups within the club are known to grab a beverage at the Crooked Can or to meet up at the bowling alley. But, most importantly, Winter Garden Runners has become an avenue to dozens of West Orange area residents to live a healthy, active lifestyle.

“It’s just about staying healthy,” McHale said. “I found (running) to be the No. 1 thing for me, personally. To keep me in such good shape so I can, hopefully, live longer and see my kids growing up and their kids.”

JOIN THE CLUB

Want to hit the pavement with the Winter Garden Runners? Join them at 5:15 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays or 6 a.m. Saturdays. The group meets in front of Winter Garden Pizza Company on Plant Street in historic downtown Winter Garden.

The Runners can also be contacted through Facebook by “liking” the groups page at facebook.com/WGRunners/ and via email at [email protected].

GETTING STARTED

Thinking of beginning a running regiment, but not sure where to start? Here are some quick and easy tips to get you headed in the right direction:

EASE IN. You don’t have to run a 5K tomorrow. RunnersWorld.com suggests easing in with run/walks for beginners.

“While it’s tempting to just go out and run as fast as you can for as long as you can, you’ll ultimately run longer, feel stronger and stay injury-free if you start by adding short bouts of running to your regular walks and gradually increasing the amount of time that you spend running,” the site advises. “You’ll start by adding one minute of running for every four minutes of walking, and gradually increase your running time so that eventually you’ll be running for twice the amount of time that you spend walking. “

GET FITTED. Get informed and don’t be cheap when it comes to running shoes. Active.com suggests you a visit to a local independent running store. Often, these smaller stores have more knowledgeable staff than the big-box retailers. Many provide gait analysis that reveals your foot strike pattern. Knowing this will determine whether you overpronate, underpronate or have a neutral gait, which will help in selecting the best shoe for your foot type. 

BRING A FRIEND … OR SIX. Sometimes, it just pays to have somebody holding you accountable. A group setting can increase motivation, inspiration, accountability and commitment. Everyone experiences times when he or she doesn’t want to run, but if you have buddies counting on you, it can make all the difference.

CROSS-TRAINING. WomensHealth.com suggests incorporating a day or two of cross-training into your running routine to stay well-rounded. Cross-training can help a runner work specifically on his or her weak spots, which can prevent injury.

RUNNING REWARDS

Running regularly can be helpful for more than just losing weight and increasing one’s endurance. Here are some other, perhaps lesser known, benefits of this particular brand of cardiovascular physical activity.

HEALTHY MIND. Though running benefits usually are thought of in physical terms, it can be quite beneficial above the shoulders, also. RunnersWorld.com says that running regularly helps a person stay sharp. A December 2012 study published in Psychonomic Bulletin & Review concluded that the evidence is insurmountable that regular exercise helps defeat age-related mental decline, particularly functions like task switching, selective attention and working memory.

It also might put you in a better mood. According to MedicalDaily.com, runners have attested to the alleged “runner’s high,” the feeling people get after they have finished a good job or run. Intense endurance activity is suspected to lead to an increase in endocannabinoids — the brain chemicals that signal pleasure, according to a 2012 study published in The Journal of Experimental Biology.

HEALTHY HEART AND CANCER-FREE. According to MedicalDaily.com, running can both reduce high blood pressure and also lessen the risk of cardiovascular disease.

“Although running can cause blood pressure levels to spike temporarily, these exercise-induced elevations in blood pressure should not be of concern,” the site says. “(Running) can lower your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes as much as running. … People who run regularly have a 30% lower risk of death from all causes, and a whopping 45% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, according to a 2014 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.”

Moreover, RunnersWorld.com suggests running can help fend off cancer.

YOUR KNEES. Some might think running regularly would be detrimental to your knees’ well-being, but WomensHealth.com suggests otherwise.

“Contrary to what your mom says, running doesn’t wreck your joints,” the site says. “Osteoarthritis (the most common type of arthritis), occurs when joint-cushioning cartilage starts to break down. The biggest osteoarthritis risk factor besides age? Body weight.”

A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that obese women had nearly four times the risk of knee osteoarthritis than non-obese women. For men, it was five times the risk. Runners are much more likely to be at a normal weight than members of the sedentary population, significantly decreasing their risk of osteoarthritis.

Running also bolsters your cartilage by increasing oxygen flow and flushing out toxins and by strengthening the ligaments around your joints. Hitting the trail also gives your bones a boost, helping to prevent osteoporosis.

“A vast review of 170 epidemiological studies in the Journal of Nutrition showed that regular exercise is associated with a lower risk of certain cancers,” the site says. “What’s more, if you already have cancer, running can improve your quality of life while you’re undergoing chemotherapy.”