Kevin Clifford/Nevada Appeal
Other than running track in middle school, Renee Travis had no running experience and no desire to get any.
But in March a group of her co-workers decided to join a running program offered by Fleet Feet Sports.
"At first I was like, no, no, no, that's not me, but then I thought, why not," she said. "I went to Fleet Feet and got some good running shoes " and a good sports bra " and the rest is history."
On Saturday, she ran her first ever 5K " 3.1 miles " during the third annual Put Your Best Foot Forward, a fundraiser for CASA of Carson City.
"It was a really cool feeling of accomplishment," she said. "I pushed myself harder than ever during the race."
Tom Wion, general manager of Fleet Feet, has been facilitating the running programs, along with owners Scott and Joy Keith, since the summer of 2005.
He said his first piece of advice to would-be runners is: "Leave you apprehensions at the door."
"Running is 95 percent mental," he said.
Tell that to Bessie Woolridge, who walked a marathon in October and entered other races walking, but ran her first 5K on Saturday as well.
"I would much rather have walked a marathon than run that 5K," she said. "It's a much greater challenge. It's hard."
But with the greater challenge, she said, she's seen greater rewards.
Approaching 50, Woolridge, 48, decided last year to improve her fitness. So she joined Fleet Feet's half-marathon training program, walking the distances as the rest of the group ran.
This year, she set her goal on running.
She said the more effort she's put into it, the more energized she's felt and her body, particularly her knees, has lost its stiffness.
"Where I can really tell the difference is in my blood panel," she said. "I've had so much improvement in every facet of my blood work. It's amazing to see what kind of an improvement there's been."
Travis, 40, said she also saw a great improvement over the course of the program.
"When we first started, my lungs felt like they were bleeding," she said. "Then I finally experienced that feeling of feeling incredibly amazing. I think that's what kept me going. That and the group accountability."
And that's the whole point, according to Wion.
"My goal and Fleet Feet's goal is to promote the health of the community and try to inspire people to improve their lifestyle," he said. "The 5K is a great starting-off point. It's a great goal."
The next program being offered is a 10K, or 6.2-mile, training program. The 50K training program is already under way in preparation for the Tahoe Rim Trail 50K, 50-mile and 100-mile Run on July 18. An early marathon and half-marathon training program also is getting organized to kick off in July.
Woolridge already has signed up for all the programs up through the marathon.
"For me, it makes all the difference in the world," she said. "I know on Saturdays and Wednesdays I have a commitment. That accountability helps me a lot. I hate it, but it helps so much.
"It would be so easy to stay on the couch and watch TV, but my health is just too important."