Running might take people far, but in Chelsea, it brings people together. From the accomplishments of the cross country and track teams to the core of nearly every sport at Chelsea, running is at the heart of our school’s community. Even the educators at CHS are influenced– for example, Laura Lutz has found running to be a stress reliever and a great way to start the day right. 

“I started running after I graduated from college,” Lutz said. “I had a friend who was a coach and [he] said ‘I want you to just run with me for a month and if you don’t like it after that, then you’ll never run again’, and I stuck it out.”

Running is arguably the hardest physical activity to get into. Runners have to be very persistent, though it helps when there’s a friend to coach you through it. Lutz’s friend-turned-coach helped get her through the low parts of running by pacing her speed and making sure she didn’t burn out too quickly.

“I’d go on runs and go way too fast, it would be miserable,” Lutz said. 

After a month of running two or three times a week at a steady pace, Lutz was able to fall in love with running.

“I just got to the point where it felt comfortable to run,” Lutz said. “I was able to forward to it instead of dreading it.”

Moving forward, Lutz has made a world of a difference with her time and stamina.

“I feel like I’m lifetimes apart in my running progress, I usually run six days a week now I run twenty to thirty miles a week,” Lutz said.

When you get into the right mindset, and work toward the goal, running is known to be a therapeutic outlet. 

“I feel bad if I don’t run,” Lutz said. “I do enjoy my day off,but it’s also like such a part of my life and I think it helps me stay calm.”

If you’re ever in need of a new running schedule, or if you’re new to running and want to get into it, Laura Lutz’s door is always open as a resource for encouragement and tips.

“All you really need to run is shoes,” Lutz said.