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Guest Authored by Lauren Do
I’ve never considered myself a “runner.” Cardio for fun? It was a no. Getting sweaty, out of breath, and red-faced for no good reason just wasn’t appealing to me. After coming to college, however, I wanted to find a way to stay in shape amidst a sea of midterms and easily accessible junk food. I joined Longhorn Run because I saw what an impact it made on the UT community and how many diverse groups took part in it, and since joining, I’ve met so many inspiringly fit people—people who have run Spartan races, triathlons, and even marathons. Hearing about their accomplishments motivated me to give running a second try. It hadn’t been my favorite thing in the past, but who knew, maybe I’d find my second wind. The first week was definitely the hardest. I’d decided to try and follow the 10K Finish The Race training plan, and to be honest, I could barely run a mile. I was panting and ready to give up after the first few days, but I stuck with the commitment I’d made—and guess who can run 3 miles now? (It’s me!) Sure, it isn’t record breaking or anything, and it’s at an 11-minute pace, but it’s the longest distance I’ve ever run in my life, and I’m proud of that. It’s been a little over a month, and I’m still trying to keep up with the training plan. It’s so satisfying to cross those workouts off the calendar. Sometimes I have to shuffle around which days I run compared to the calendar, but keeping the distance consistent with a physical plan has really helped me to commit to running. I still can’t say running is my favorite thing in the world, but I feel so accomplished when I hit my distance goal. Every run gets easier now, and I’m enjoying it more and more as I switch up the music I listen to and where I run. I’m so happy that Longhorn Run has given me this inspiration, and I can’t wait to see everyone reach their goal when the cross the finish line on race day! I’ll see you all there!  Guest Authored by Kelly Bauman - LHR 2018 On-Course Coordinator
I fell in love with Longhorn Run the first time I ran it in 2016. Not completely knowing what I was getting myself into, I signed up the week of the race and showed up to the start line that Saturday morning, underestimating the race and very much only expecting to get a free banana out of it. As the number of participants grew, I was shocked at the extent of familiar faces I saw; my classmates, professors, former lab partners, and friends from every nook and cranny of my on-campus life were there -- all with a shared goal. The race began, and the UT spirit was tangible from the start. Everywhere I turned, my peers from all different aspects of the UT community were cheering each other on to keep going and to be their best self. As I winded through different areas of campus, I saw my UT home illuminated by incredible people overwhelmed with UT pride. As a runner, I’ve ran many organized races, most of them larger than Longhorn Run, and there is still no comparison to the feeling I experienced on the Longhorn Run course. Longhorn Run brings together every possible niche of the 40 acres and unites us all under the same motivation – to have fun, to achieve goals, and to celebrate the incredible school we are all so lucky to go to. As the On-Course Coordinator for Longhorn Run 2018, it is my privilege to give that feeling of accomplishment, excitement, and pride that I felt after my first Longhorn Run back to the 5,000+ runners who will take on Race Day in April. I am ecstatic to use my position on Longhorn Run Committee to give back to the school and the community that have given so much to me over the past four years. Join me on course this year to see what awesome things my team has been working on for the past few months and to celebrate the absolutely incredible community we are a part of! |