Top Five Reasons to Set Your Sights On Completing a 5K This Season

It’s fun to run with family

Looking for something fun to do as a whole family? Running a 5k is a great activity that can cover a wide range of activity levels. At races, you’ll see families dressed in coordinated outfits, right down to the family dog being pushed along in a stroller. Or, you could have a friendly competition to see which side of the family has the fastest group time. Those that can’t run can even get involved by making fun signs to greet the runners along the route.  And if you live in different states, it makes for a good excuse to pull the family together. Is getting everyone in the same town impossible? Then pick a race around the same weekend in different locations and share your experiences and pictures.

It’s good for your health

If you’ve ever known a one year old, you know that once they learn to walk, the first thing they do is learn to run! Running is natural to us, even as we age. We may not be as fast as we were when we were zipping around like toddlers and that’s okay! We always say, “Your race, your pace.” A 5k is a 5k, no matter how long it takes to complete. So how does walking, running and run/walking improve your health? Running and walking increases your endurance, promotes cardiovascular health, helps elevate your mood with the runner’s high, and helps you to control your weight. And there’s a social aspect as well if you run with a group.

It’s good for your community

Did you know that there are about 12,500 5k races held across the country every single year? Most of those races have a charity or notable cause attached to them. So while you’re sweating, remember that you’re sweating for a cause. Running for a charity that you care about personally can be a great motivator to keep moving when the going gets tough!

The confidence boost

You can’t beat the confidence boost that you get from setting a goal and crushing it! The bonus effect of completing a 5k is that it makes you believe in yourself and runners often end up tackling other goals as a result. You know those folks you see crossing the finish line at a marathon? A good portion of them ran a 5k first! We’ve even seen people take that confidence boost to achieve goals outside of running like getting into a new career, a new car or a new relationship. Where can running take you?

The weather is nice and you can finally leave your cave

The cooler weather is almost upon us and we can finally leave our air conditioned caves! Fall is the perfect time to get out, stretch and start walking.  And since walking leads to running, and you need a length of time to safely train, Fall is the perfect time to get ready for a December or January 5k. What better way to end the old year and start the New Year than running for a cause. Here in town, we have one of Runner’s World Magazine’s Top Ten Bucket List 5ks, The 12Ks of Christmas. It’s a family friendly run AND a pet adoption event. If you love your pet, you may love running this one!

Next we’ll present how to get running, no matter your age or ability level. Does “Couch to 5K” sound interesting? Stay tuned and we’ll show you how to do that safely!