The 2016 St. Elizabeth Healthcare Honor Run offers no shortage of races to suit any stride, including a kids’ mile run, a 5K, a two-person relay and the biggie, the half marathon.
Let’s say you want to take on the half, and though you’re in pretty good physical shape, you haven’t exactly been training. Don’t worry.
“There’s still plenty of time,” said Stacey McConnell, St. Elizabeth Healthcare physical therapist and resident running guru. Here are five tips to get you from now to the finish line under the Florence water tower on Nov. 13:
- Seek out a running group: You can find one at a number of running specialty shops, like Tri-State Running Company or Bob Roncker’s Running Spot. “There’s safety in numbers,” McConnell said, “and they may need real input from a running expert moving forward on a condensed program.” Plus, running groups are social, fun and runners help keep one another accountable.
- Party of one: If you prefer to go solo, visit halhigdon.com to download a novice half-marathon training program. (Higdon, whose first Runner’s World byline appeared in the magazine 50 years ago, ran in the Olympic trials eight times and has won four world masters championships.) Higdon’s website allows visitors to enter the Nov. 13 date of the Honor Run “and work back to do an abbreviated schedule,” McConnell said. Healthy Headlines also created a 10-week training program you can check out here.
- Proceed with caution: “They would want to approach it with more level and slower running,” McConnell said, “and be sure to do all the extras, including sleep, eat well, stretch. There might be some occasion to walk as part of the program, too.”
- Listen to your body: If you’re feeling good as race day approaches, go for it. But if you’ve had a setback in training or otherwise aren’t feeling confident about the distance, consider one of the shorter races. You don’t have to be a hero to honor one.
- Run for a reason: This run is about honoring active-duty military or veterans ““ yourself, a family member, a friend. Put their picture or their name on your shirt or your hat. Write a name on your arm. Remember why you’re running. Proceeds from all Honor Run Half Marathon events will benefit Honor Flight Tri-State, helping send local veterans who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam to Washington to visit their memorials.
Registration is open for the St. Elizabeth Honor Run Half-Marathon, Two-Person Relay, Kids’ Mile Run and 5K Run/Walk. Register by Sept. 30 and save. To register or for more information, visit HonorRunHalf.com.
