Well, this is it: the final week of Pit Run training.

I'm excited for the big day, but I'm also sad that the experience is almost over. In the past 11 weeks, the group has become a sort of family. We're a baker's dozen of various ages, sizes and experience levels. Some of us will be chasing time goals Sunday, while others will simply be striving to cross the finish line smiling. But we all have one goal in common: to do our best.

Marlene Reed of Stamford has been running for a little more than a year. She completed the Pit Run training last year and enjoyed the camaraderie so much she came back for more. Marlene ran her first Pit Run in 49:26. She also caught the running bug, competing in 18 races last year.

Carol Roe of Milford also completed last year's program. This year, she has two race goals: to finish and to beat last year's time. Carol, a prevention specialist at the LEAF Council on Alcoholism/Addictions, said she feels as though she's "outrunning old age" by setting - and meeting - fitness goals.

Cathy Lynch, a social studies teacher at Oneonta High School, said she joined the program for the motivation of getting fit with a group. "I ran cross country in high school, but I'm not a love-to-run type person," she said.

Hank Hotaling was the director of athletics at Jefferson Central School from 1958 to 1989. Though sports have always been a part of his life, he said he got "sadly out of shape" after retiring and joined the Pit Run program as part of a long-term effort to get fit. In addition to losing 28 pounds, he's discovered that running can actually be fun.

Like Hank, Su Hartley of Oneonta is running mostly for her health. After smoking for 40 years, she kicked the habit a few years ago. She said she joined the program to gain motivation to exercise, and so far, it has worked. "I think I've gotten a lot of physical fitness. I also think for some strange reason this had made me feel younger," said Su, who is "not quite 60."

Terry Fernley of Oneonta said she saw the program as the perfect chance to get in shape and do something positive for the community. "I've never challenged myself physically to anything in my life, and . thinking about turning 40, I kind of wanted to try it," said Terry, who is the executive director of the United Way of Delaware and Otsego Counties.

Linda Evanczyk, a retired nurse from Oneonta, said she signed on with the goal of improving her strength and endurance. She had power-walked several Pit Runs but had never tried running. This year, she'll jog part of the course - something she said she never would have been able to do without the motivation she's gained from the group.

Milford Central School District Superintendent Peter Livshin is already planning to sign up for next year's training. "I've enjoyed this program because of the people," he said. "It's been a wonderful group in terms of camaraderie and working together."

Peter, who, like Linda, Su and Terry, had never run before, said he and the others at "the back of the pack" have come a long way. When he started the program, he figured he'd be walking 80 percent of the race. Now, his goal is to run to the base of Bugbee Hill (about halfway) before stopping to walk.

Terri Cole of West Edmeston said her goal is "just to finish." A nurse in the intensive care unit at Bassett Hospital, Terri said she's been surprised by how much she has accomplished. "I got more fit, that's for sure," she said.

Barbara Sperling, an emergency-room-nurse at A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital, shares Terri's sense of accomplishment. "It's my first road race ever," she said. "I wanted to get involved with the community spirit and see if my body would respond physically to the training, and it has."

Rosa Brindley of Oneonta said she sees the program as a beginning. "I never thought that I could be a good runner," she said. "Here I am, at age 35 with three kids, and I can run a 10-minute mile, and I can run up to seven miles at a time."

Rosa, who owns her own tailoring business, The Golden Needle, said she couldn't have come this far on her own. "The 12-week training has kept us focused and determined that we can actually finish the race," she said, "and it wasn't too long into the program that I realized, `We can do this.'"

Last, but not least, is the fastest runner in our group, Jim Capone of Otego. He was too shy to discuss his race goals, but I'm certain I'm not the only one in the group who has been inspired by his discipline and seemingly endless supply of energy.

No matter what happens on race day, I've come away with a lot of valuable knowledge, some stronger muscles - and 12 new friends.

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Lisa Miller is The Daily Star's community editor. She can be reached at (607) 441-7216 or lmiller@thedailystar.com.