Mitchelle Stephenson — The Capital Some of the members of the Riva Trace running club are shown completing their 2.5-mile run last Saturday. From left, Melody Creswell, Eric Grevin, Tina Simmons, Lisa Grevin and Sue Sturgell.
By Mitchelle Stephenson
Estate attorney Eric Grevin has been an avid runner since high school. In college, he was an NCAA Division III track and cross-country competitor. Eric, along with his wife Lisa - also an avid runner - have recently taken on the task of bringing the joy of running to about two dozen novice athletes at Riva Trace Baptist Church in Davidsonville.
The group started in January with a goal of completing the upcoming Tiger Trot 5K race at Central Elementary School in Edgewater. The 3-mile, PTA-sponsored race will take place at 8 a.m. April 24.
The Grevins started the running club 12 weeks ago.
"We started them out walking with a little running, now we have worked our way up to running with a little walking," Eric said.
Amy Krause is one of the runners. She is a 43-year-old grandmother who started the program as a way to stay healthy.
After last week's 2.5-mile trek around Riva Park in Davidsonville, Amy said that her new goal is to "run the Marine Corps Marathon one day."
The group runs together once a week on Saturday mornings. Eric said that everyone starts the run together, and runs the same distance, but they keep their own pace.
During the week, the club participants are expected to work out twice on their own. They are encouraged to keep a running journal to track their progress.
"The hardest thing is the consistency," Amy said. She tries to stay true to running three days a week.
Eric said that the training method he is using with the group is the "couch potato to 5K" run-walk-run method.
"Runners are encouraged to be able to carry on a conversation," Eric said.
Sandi Watt said that her daughter-in-law Jaime motivated her to begin the running program.
"She got me started, and she'll be running with me in the Tiger Trot," Sandi said.
Sandi will be attending her 40th high school reunion soon, and she wanted to step up her exercise regimen. She's always been a walker, but thought that she'd give running a try.
"Once you start running, you can't go back to walking," Sandi said.
After their run last week, some of the other women in the group joked that even though Sandi is 63, she seems to be the one in the club with the most energy.
As we talked on a chilly Saturday morning after the group's 2.5 mile run on April 3, Sandi bounced back and forth - looking like she was ready to run another 2.5 miles.
The participants come from all backgrounds: for example, there is a dental assistant, an office manager, a graduate student and a mortgage broker.
Eric sees running as a metaphor for life. "The discipline in that one area can spill over into other aspects of life. It can really make you a better person," Eric said.
Eric started to talk about the vitality and energy that running gives carries through the day.
All of the runners agreed with him that on the days they run, they feel like they have more energy, not less.
The group has another two weeks to practice before the big race April 24. By then, the 3.1 mile race will be just another weekly run.
As to the coaching effort that the Grevins have put in for the team, "we're really just their cheerleaders," Lisa said.
The Lothian Ruritan Club recently awarded five $1,000 scholarships to graduating high school seniors. Earlier this year, the club asked local students to submit applications. The criteria for consideration included community service, letters of recommendation and scholastic achievement.
The recipients were Jacob Smith of Lothian; Benjamin Catterton III of Harwood; Julie Marie Crawford of Lothian; Jillian Dorr of Lothian; and Amanda M. Sullivan of Shady Side.
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