Run For Fun??...

Last year Lisa and I decided that we wanted to get into better shape by jogging and decided to work towards running a 5k together. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the mathematics or the event, it's 3.1 miles long and considered an entry level race that people of all ages and athletic abilities can run in with a small amount of training (obviously the amount of training required will be different for each person based upon their overall health and weight). We started jogging on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and our first run was barely one mile continuous followed by a walk home. Over time, we worked up the distance and continuous time running and found ourselves setting a time goal for the event of an average of 10 minutes per mile.

As the event approached we mentioned it to some of the girls in the family and they decided to walk the course, which is entirely acceptable and done by a lot of participants. It was a little chilly the day of the event but by the end of the first mile we had already begun to shed gloves and hats and had worked up a sweat. By the second mile we had kept our 10 minute pace and were headed back to the start/finish line. We both accomplished our goal of finishing the race without walking and felt good about our times. It was the second time that I had run a 5k, but the first in 10 years and my first at a public event (the other race was an intramural event in college). It was the first time Lisa and I had done a race together (she ran cross country and 5ks in highschool and college). It was a great feeling of accomplishment and we knew we had become healthier and stronger throughout the training.

{I hear you saying "Nice story. What's the point?"

Here's the point:
I know some members of the family have either expressed interest in getting into better shape or have begun to do so over the past few months. With that in mind I am throwing out the following possible activity.

Let's do a 5k together!

Yep, you read that right. I am asking you to work towards participating in a 5k event with me. You can walk it or jog it or do a little bit of both, but the main goal here is to use the event as motivation to get moving and get into better shape. Lisa can't do it this time around or she would (having a three week old baby is a good reason not to do it).

So what's your excuse?

Here's the info you need:
Race Website: http://jinglebellrunstl.kintera.org
Date: Sunday, November 23
Time: Registration begins at 7am. The race begins at 8am.
Location: Holiday Inn Airport West (map)
Cost: Preregsitration - $20 for adults $15 ages 14 and under (not sure if this price will change raceday)
Note: There is also a 1 mile Tot Trot for $5

Proceeds benefit the Arthritis Foundation.

Why this race?
It gives you a little over 7 weeks to get ready for it and it is incredibly flat (no hills at all), so it is one of the easiest in the area to do. Plus, it gets us moving before the winter months and helps us get into better shape which is always a good thing.

There are tons of resources online for plans to get you from couch potatoe to 5k runner in 6 to 8 weeks. Like here and here. (just Google "training for a 5k")

Even if you walk the entire course, you will most likely finish it in an hour or less.
(This means that you can participate in the event, go home and shower and be at church by 10:30 or sooner without much difficulty.)

There are all sorts of people in all sorts of physical shape at this race.
Invite your friends to walk with you.
Challenge your friends to try and run it with you.

Let's do this!