Training for Ferguson’s Twilight 5K begins soon

Would you like to run or walk in Live Well Ferguson's Twilight 5K on May 15? Free training for people of all fitness levels starts in March!

One of the best things about North County is the abundance of hiking and biking trails, but of course, you have to be at least somewhat fit to use them. Not being in peak shape myself, I often feel like I’m missing out on so many great adventures right in my own backyard. That’s why I’m very proud to be co-sponsoring an event that has one simple mission: to get the people of NoCo up and moving!

On May 15, Live Well Ferguson is hosting its inaugural Twilight 5K, and not only is NOCO a sponsor but yours truly has volunteered to be a racer in training! Starting this week, Dwayne James, Blue Tapp Scheffer and I (all of whom are at different fitness levels) will be blogging about our progress as we prepare for the race.

Blue, who runs a local website company, is an avid runner and cyclist who is also training for the Go! St. Louis marathon. She’s our “advanced” trainee. Dwayne, a Ferguson city councilman, is our fit but rusty “intermediate” trainee who has run 5Ks before and is looking to improve on his personal best. And me, I’m the “beginner” – an out-of-shape writer preparing to walk the 5K and hopefully lose a few pounds in the process.

Between now and May 15, I’ll be working with personal trainer Lyle Johnson, whose company MVP Fitness runs boot camps right here in North County. My goal in doing this is obviously to improve my own health, but I also hope to inspire other couch potatoes to rise to the challenge and walk with me in the Twilight 5K.

If you’re interested in training, we have two free programs available, both starting in March:

Couch to 5K – As the name implies, this is a proven program to get beginning runners or individuals wishing to improve their fitness level off the couch and onto the streets. The program is progressive, as we will start off slowly and graduate weekly, building both confidence and physical stamina.

This is a non-competitive program as our goal is to finish the race, regardless of time. We will meet Mon./Wed./Fri. evenings at 6:00 P.M. for this nine-week program starting March 15, 2010.  Each session should last no more than 45 minutes, including warm up and cool down. If you can currently run or jog 10 minutes nonstop, this program is not for you. Please contact Pat Shelton for more information.

Saturday Intermediate Training – The Saturday 5K Training Program will be led by Blue and her husband, Craig, who are both currently training for the GO! St. Louis Half Marathon this April. This nine-week program, starting March 20, 2010 at 9am, is intended for beginning to intermediate level runners but is open to all interested participants.

We will meet in various Ferguson locations, depending upon the day’s activity. Each session should last no more than 45 minutes. Activities will include short runs up to 3 miles through Ferguson neighborhoods, hill training at January Wabash Park and Jeske Park, and interval drills at the Florissant Valley Community College track. For more info, contact Blue Tapp Scheffer.

Come on, North County! If I can do this, so can you! Let’s get fit and have fun together!

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