In November of 1997 I attended the Road Runners Club of America RRCA) State meeting in Eugene. RRCA is the national association of not-for-profit running clubs dedicated to promoting distance running as a competitive sport and healthful exercise. RRCA's mission is to represent and promote the common interests of its member clubs and individual runners through education, leadership, and other services.

    At that meeting, I learned that AVON and the RRCA teamed up to present the AVON RUNNING Global Women's Circuit, and that Portland was going to be one of the host cities. AVON RUNNING Global Women's Circuit is a series of 10K runs, 5K walks and pre-race clinics held around the world. A portion of each entry goes to the RRCA "Roads Scholar" Program and local RRCA activities.

    The concept of pre-race clinics caught my attention. This clinic idea presented an opportunity to follow-through with something that had been churning in my mind for quite some time. This was the opportunity to "give back" to an activity that has meant a great deal to me for the last 20 years. And so I decided to design a clinic which would prepare beginning walkers and runners to participate in the Portland AVON event.

    After much thought and analysis we came up with a format. The clinics are usually twelve weeks long and are held on Tuesday evenings from 6-7:30. There are three walking groups: Leopards, Cougars and Jaguars; and four running groups: Panthers, Cheetahs, Bobcats and Wildcats. Participants choose which group they will be in based on their perceived ability level and goals, and can switch groups at any time. Each group is progressively more advanced. Each night begins with a twenty to thirty minute educational session focusing on a topic related to fitness. Examples include stretching, safety, abdominal strengthening for lumbar stabilization, shoe selection, injury prevention and much more. In addition to these topics, we've had at least one featured guest speaker for each clinic. Following the educational session, everyone goes outside, rain or shine, and walks or runs or does a little of both. When they return, they pick up handouts for the topic of that day and a schedule of suggested workouts specific to their group.

    In addition, each group has an upbeat volunteer leader who walks or runs with them, gives encouragement, answers questions and is generally interested in helping people advance toward their goals. Sometimes there are two, three or more volunteers who go along. Volunteers are members of the local running and walking clubs and alumni women from past clinics.

    What we have created is the only clinic of its kind in Oregon. Let me share with you the highlights:

    Women's Clinic I -May-June-July 1998 - A bunch of Willamette Valley Striders volunteered. Nineteen women were pre-registered so I made 25 packets "just in case." 39 showed up...they just kept coming in...I was flabbergasted! By the next few days the numbers grew to 49! Focus events included the Dog Jog, Art Fair and AVON with over 50 clinic women, family, friends and volunteers participating in AVON. Grete Waltz, nine-time winner of the New York City Marathon, was the guest speaker on May 14th, thanks to AVON. John "Penguin" Bingham was the guest speaker on July 7th.

   Women's Clinic II - Aug-Sep-Oct 1998 - 80 women were registered by the first night and the numbers grew to 96! Focus events included Portland's Race for the Cure with a Gallagher Fitness Resources Team of over 75 ladies, and Dream of Roses, an all women's event here in Salem. Author/editor, Rich Benyo, was the guest speaker on October 6th.