By Laura Davenport
Carrboro Commons Writer

Every Thursday evening, runners from all over the Carrboro and Chapel Hill areas meet for an organized run and training session. Both passionate runners and novices meet to jog the streets of Carrboro and spend some quality time with others who share their zest for exercise. Aside from the love of running, all the participants share another common ground: they are all women.

The Ladies Only Run is sponsored by shoe brand New Balance, which is working with Fleet Feet Sports. Fleet Feet, located in Carrboro’s Carr Mill Mall, specializes in shoes and other athletic apparel. The ladies train for two races a year, also sponsored by Fleet Feet and New Balance.

Amanda Bushman, center, explains the route to runners in front of Fleet Feet. Bushman heads up the group of the more leisurely runners.
Laura Davenport photo

The Ladies Only Run started four years ago with only about 40 participants. According to Rona Van Willigen, one of the trainers associated with the program, the Ladies Only Run now attracts about 205 women of all ages and skill level. They meet each week in two locations, and are divided into three skill levels. The faster group, led by Van Willigen, meets in the parking lot behind the Armadillo Grill. The more leisurely runners are led by Amanda Bushman, and meet in front of Fleet Feet in the Carr Mill Mall parking lot. Women begin coming around 6:10 to stretch and warm up at their own pace, and the run begins promptly at 6:30.

The beginners’ group is for participants who have little or no running experience, and starts off with an easier routine to allow them to work their way up to around two miles. The intermediate runners have a goal set at around three miles, and the advanced runners usually do over six miles for their weekly group training. Van Willigen says that she encourages participants to walk if they need to, just so they complete their distance goal. All three skill levels complete designated routes throughout Carrboro.

While the participants are grouped on skill level, the goal of the program is to focus on distance and not speed, so each group has a wide range of speeds. “Our goal is to challenge the participant at whatever level they are at,” says Van Willigen. “For some, it will be to walk or jog three miles, for others it will be to do track workout for the first time.” For new participants or those who do not wish to keep pace with the group, small maps of the routes are handed out during warm-ups and stretching.

Exercise isn’t the only reason that the women come week after week. Tracy Compley, a five-time participant in the Ladies Only Run, says that one of the things she enjoys most about coming out each Thursday is just “being with the girls.”

Beginning in the spring of 2008, Fleet Feet, which also has a chain of stores nationwide, will offer a co-ed training run. This run will be for beginners only on Tuesday evenings. As more details are finalized on the run, information will be made available on the Fleet Feet Web site.

The Ladies Only Run welcomes anyone who is interesting in running, spending time with others who share similar interests, and want additional help and motivation to train for a race. For more information on the Run, visit www.fleetfeetcarrboro.com and click on “Training.”