Eleven weeks ago a group of about 30 women set out to learn how to run.

Now only the die-hards remain and most can’t believe how far they’ve come. Most said they hated the idea of running before they joined the Move It and Lose It group.

Judy Fox-McGuire said she can’t believe how much her endurance has improved in 11 weeks.

“This is my first time running, but I’ve always wanted to do it. I’m really impressed with how much I enjoy it, I’ve always wanted to be a runner and I’m starting to feel like I am one.”

One of the biggest motivators is the friendly group atmosphere.

“It motivates you to come and show up because you know all the other women are going to be there so you want to go too. You don’t want to be the one they talk about that didn’t come,” laughed new runner Ashley Umbach.

“Once I got over my hurdle of 'ugh, I hate running,' I was like 'oh I can do this,' it was fun. I like coming and I feel better after I do it.”

The group originally started last summer as a grant from the Vancouver Sun Run and walking training “Walk this Way.” They've done the program several times over the year and restarted the program on June 5 for any newcomers that wanted to give it a try. There are different levels of runners, but they always make sure to come back for the slower ones and they all stretch together at the end of each run.

Margot Mueller started six months ago and said she noticed a huge difference in her endurance when she played women’s outdoor soccer this year.

“I was faster on the field and I could actually run the whole field instead of just a quarter of the field,” she said.

The program has runners mixing intervals of running and walking to gain endurance. It started out with one minute of running and two minutes of walking six or seven times. Now there are two groups, one is at running for five minutes and walking for one about nine times.

The other runs for 20 minutes, walks for one, runs for 15 minutes walks for one and then runs for 10 minutes.

The women of the Move It and Lose It group have competed in various local events such as the Jingle Bell Run and Spring Runoff Road Race for Diabetes.

Now they are preparing for the hilly Grailquest on Sept. 18, which some members are taking over organizing from the Sub Zero Running Club.

Some members tried the course for the first time this week.

“It was a good challenge, different than what we’ve been running because we’ve just been running off the (walking paths along the West Bypass Road),” said Mueller.

“I think anybody could probably try it out, you don’t have to be an athlete, you can try it out.”

Trinda Tarling walked the course last ear.

“It just killed me. I’m not going to lie,” she laughed, adding that she'll run and walk this year's Grailquest. “I’ll do both because the hills really hurt my knees, I’ll just gauge it. I’ll run when I can and walk when I really have to.”

For more information on joining the program, e-mail aleishahendry@gmail.com