If you think the temperatures have been treacherous this winter, just imagine getting up every Saturday morning to run in them. That’s what more than 1,200 Borgess Running Camp participants continue to do in preparation for culminating events scheduled in early May. Proceeds from the event support four children’s charities.
Borgess Medical Center – part of Borgess Health, an Ascension ministry in southwest Michigan – developed its Running Camp program 13 years ago with the help of a local sporting goods store. The mission was simple: build community while promoting health and wellness. What began with a little more than 100 runners the first year has since blossomed into the largest running camp in the nation.
What keeps people coming back week after week despite this winter’s single-digit temperatures, wind gusts up to 20 mph, and all manner of precipitation? The people. The camaraderie that these participants gain through their shared experience provides them that extra “oomph” to make it to practice even when their body and mind may be telling them otherwise.
As Run Camp’s unofficial Spirit Coach, Maria “Swifty” Swiftfoot, said: “Run camp isn’t about the running. It’s about the people. It’s about those people coming together on cold winter Saturday mornings. It’s about that cold being overpowered by the acceptance of everyone. It’s about the acceptance that we are all different – whether we run or we walk … or both; are new to camp or camp veterans – it’s all OK. It’s about being OK with the differences we all have as people. It’s about those differences being accepted, embraced and applauded. It’s about wishing this feeling existed around the rest of our troubled world … we are lucky to have a taste of this at run camp.”
During the first practice, participants are assigned to event-specific teams, led by a Team Leader, based on their current condition and pace – quickly helping newcomers feel “at home” and allowing everyone to reach realistic personal goals. Those teams meet every week (and sometimes more frequently), continue communication between runs, and support each other throughout the process. Campers also get access to an e-notebook packed with training schedules, maps and other materials to keep them “on track.” Participants can choose to prepare for a marathon, half-marathon, 10-K or 5-K run.
“We have been very intentional about helping people win,” said Janeen Docsa, Run Camp program director. “We welcome them, give them good information and then nurture them as they strive to achieve their goal. We specialize in helping people challenge themselves to something they didn’t think they could do by creating the social support that gets them there. It is very gratifying to see the transformation that happens for so many of the participants.”
