A visit with the Bravehearts

They'll be running and walking at the back of the 45,000 field in the Bolder Boulder 10k on Memorial Day. That's because they don't want to get trampled on -- or have anyone trip over their oxygen cylinders.

Yes, really some of them might need it. But a lot of them won't. "They" are the Bravehearts, a group of people who are all on their way back from serious heart problems. Ranging age from 50-81, they include people who've dealt with heart attacks, heart surgery -- some have pacemakers. Part of their cardiac rehab has been a weekly meet with Marci Roschke, assistant coach with Bobby McGee, who keeps them up with a progressive program designed by Bobby to enable them to complete the six-mile event. Last night I joined them for a session of Barines, their final serious workout before the Bolder Boulder.

Some of them were fast-looking runners, some of them slow walkers, but they're all determined to get round the course. Some of them do it every year, Marci told me some of the group weren't there -- as family events round the holiday weekend were taking precedence. So no oxygen cylinders on view.

When you're introduced to a guy who has to be careful to stop if his leg starts aching, in case it's a sign he needs to be on the way to the ER, it does tend to put your own aches and pains in perspective.

Suitably chastened, I ignored the pain in my butt and headed up the steepest hill in sight to run home.

Day 5 Restart Phase: am: tough Pilates session including PR on Sumo squats with barbell. pm: run to meet Bravehearts, back home the hilly route: 5m steady.