PACE GROUP LEADER
3:45 RUNNERS
Sharon McGowan
How many runners finish 3rd in their age group in their first race? Sharon McGowan credits this very feat to a group of firefighters running ahead of her in Denver's Governor's Cup a few years ago - unbeknownst to them they were keeping her on pace. Her impressive finish propelled her to pursue the sport of distance running by setting consistent goals and finding a professional training group. Enter Runner's Edge of the Rockies. Since joining the group just two years ago, Sharon has finished four 1/2 marathons and two fulls. And that first 5K was just the first chapter: in her age group she placed 4th and 3rd respectively in the Colorado Colfax and Boulder Backroads full marathons.
Sharon so greatly benefited from her pace group leaders in RER that when Coaches David and Julie asked her to consider being a pace group leader, she jumped at the prospect of making the same contributions to her fellow teammates. "I am very happy to help others who may have been in my situation where they don't have a watch, or want to concentrate on just being out there and not worrying about their time, speed, and just making it a fun experience for everyone involved".
Sharon goes out of her way to get to know everyone in the group and ensure others reach out to the steady flow of new members. Because she paces one of the faster groups, she is seasoned enough to put on the enforcer hat when necessary in order to slow the speedsters down and stay on pace. And she does this with a strong emphasis on the mental component of distance running, pointing to the RER training binder on 'marathon preparation' as a key component in this facet of the sport. "I imagine the race, the friends and family watching, and finishing with a PR and that feeling I'll have if the PR comes true".
Sharon works for Jeppesen as an IT Manager and is having fun as a newlywed, snowshoeing, and learning about wine with her husband.
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