By Tina Jenkins Bell
BAPA School Liaison
Caley Doran is a mother of four young children. Two are Sutherland students. She is also Sutherland’s Ridge Run coordinator and coach for their school team.
About her own experience as a runner, she said, “I was never a runner growing up, and I previously had the idea that running was a means to an end. For example, I swam but ran for off season strength and conditioning. I played soccer but ran as a warmup, or if we were in ‘trouble’ for goofing off at practice or missing penalty kicks, I ran then too.”
Doran discovered the joy in running in college as a sophomore. Since then, she loves using it as a tool to explore the cities she has lived in and the different neighborhoods. Doran has also completed various triathlons and marathons since she began running in college.
“I would love to help young kids see that running in itself can be a sport. I find joy in it every time I go out for a jog, and I hope that young kids can see that too,” Doran said, adding that running helps expend energy, reset time or a bad day, and build strong lungs and body as well as mental toughness to challenge and persevere.
As for tips for running, Doran said:
Running is majority mental. If you tell yourself, you can do something, you can and you will.
Be patient building your stamina. Start running one block and then mile and then 3.1 miles. Give yourself grace and trust in the training process.
Have fun! Setting a goal, training for it and achieving it, is a wonderful feeling of accomplishment, be proud of yourself!
