By Maureen LaFaive
I fell in love with Culver Academies when my grandson attended Woodcraft Camp in 2007/08. The beautiful campus became my favorite place to walk. I spent many days driving the 17 miles from home to take my walks until it occurred to me that maybe I could work here and get paid to be in this beautiful environment that reminded me of my New England roots! A custodial position became available in 2010 and I grabbed it, desirous of a physical occupation rather than sitting in front of a computer all day which I had been doing working from home for my son's business. My first job preference had been stable hand, but I don't think they thought I could handle it at my 60+ years. I had done that kind of work in my youth at a riding stable in Massachusetts, and I suppose I was trying to recapture my childhood memories. My husband says I have "Peter Pan" syndrome. I stubbornly refuse to grow old and still think of myself as a kid. The custodial position in the Linden/Ithaca dorm is a job I love, but it is more challenging physically than I expected. I needed more stamina for climbing stairs and being on my feet most of 8 hours a day. I also felt isolated on the far end of campus, missing out on the activities going on and meeting new people. At the end of my work day I was too tired to take my walks as I used to and my life became work/home/sleep, work/home/sleep, in bed by 6 pm. This is probably pretty normal for a 62 year old, but as I said, I refuse to accept my age and its seeming limitations. I also have a dream of going on a hiking expedition in Israel some day.
I was excited to hear Dana Neer speak at the Health Fair last fall about the opportunity Culver provides for employees to get outdoors for exercise, either walking or running. He was offering a cross country class for beginners or advanced runners on Wednesdays and Fridays, and I decided to give it a try. I needed the cardio exercise that walking was no longer providing, even though I was probably walking 10 miles a day in my dorm. I thought I would get more fit from my job alone, but I was just getting exhausted. I needed to take fitness to the next level.
Joining the class I discovered I was the only beginner. Others had been running in races already or were at least at an intermediate level. But they all welcomed me warmly and were very encouraging. I enjoy the camaraderie, Dana's inspiration and coaching, and the fresh air and exhilarating experience of running cross country all over the campus and beyond. At first I could only run (jog) for 20 seconds before I needed to walk. It wasn't long before I could run for a minute, then 3 minutes, and now 6 minutes. I skipped the whole month of January so it really is just part of December and February twice a week that I have been running. I am beginning to experience the mood elevation, mental clarity, and greater stamina that this activity provides. Running on grass or the track surface is easier on the joints than pounding the pavement, and I look forward to running on the trails soon. I became aware of the sport of trail running, which interests me very much since I enjoy being outdoors in natural and scenic settings. I am finding that my stamina has increased, and I return to my building invigorated rather than tired. I am staying up later when I get home and getting some things accomplished after work besides sleeping. It's a new lease on life for me. My goal in the Miles of Fun and Fitness program is to run in a 6 mile trail race in my beloved Blue Hills in Massachusetts in October. This is the area where I used to ride horses in my youth. I invited my daughter in Texas to run it with me, so she is now off the couch training for it using the Couch to 5K program. She asked me to do the program with her for motivation, so I am adding that to my regimen. My husband, not to be left behind in my dust, is joining the fun, as well as my daughter-in-law. Running seems to be contagious! Some of my co-workers are considering joining Dana's running class, and I am encouraging them to get outdoors and enjoy the fresh air and socialization that is so good and healthy for us. I can't say enough about how delightful this is thanks to Dana and the other runners. I am very grateful that Culver Academies provides this wonderful benefit to its employees during the workday.
