Over the river and through the woods

BENE-FIT OF THE MONTH

Kristin LaMoure

Indian summer comes to a close, the winds pick up and Sunny Sequim becomes a little less sunny. It must be November on the Olympic Peninsula. I find that there is no better way to chase away the blues and chills than by running with friends.

I remember sitting in my office one day, not able to get warm. I could have run on the treadmill but I decided I needed some fresh air. The wind blew and hail hit me in the face. As I ran up the hill on Brown Road, a huge truck slowed down to a crawl when the driver saw me. I thought he would scowl at me for being in his way or splash in a muddy puddle next to me. Instead he gave me an encouraging smile and “thumbs up.” I was warm the rest of the day!

If guaranteed warmth to body and spirit is not enough incentive, here are two more reasons to get outside and run this winter:

_ Run the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day to benefit the food banks in Sequim and Port Angeles

_ Prepare for the Olympic Discovery Marathon

While the majority of folks sit home and gorge on calorie-laden foods on Thanksgiving Day, I invite you to start off the day with a fun run to benefit the local food banks.

Sequim Gym is sponsoring its first “Turkey Trot” 5K. We will run “over the Dungeness River and through the woods” along the Olympic Discovery trail. The course begins at Railroad Bridge Park and follows the trail to Carlsborg Road and back.

Entrance to the event is $10 and whatever nonperishable food items you can donate, with proceeds benefiting the food banks. Contact sequimgym@yahoo.com or call 477-1877 for more information.

Hosted by Therapeutic Associates Therapy, The North Olympic Discovery Marathon now entices runners from all over the country. The NODM provides runners and walkers with 26.2-mile and 13.1-mile point-to-point, scenic, well-supported courses. Other associated events include a 10K and 5K. The events are scheduled for Sunday, June 5, 2011, but this a great time to start getting ready.

If you walk and would like to start running, you may begin a 10- to 12-week walk/run program right now. Write me at sequimgym@yahoo.com for free tips on how to do this. Once you have built a foundation for running, you still will have four solid months to build your distance to your chosen event.

Experienced runners may improve their time or simply rekindle their desire. Click on nodm.com/training for a variety of resources and training tips.

If you think it’s too cold to run, take a look at all the gear available to keep you warm yet still allow freedom of movement. Wear lightweight microfiber hats, gloves and jackets. Make sure you also wear reflective or bright clothing.

And what if it snows? No problem. Purchase inexpensive traction devices for your shoes, such as Yaktrax, or you can take an older pair of running shoes and screw in some 1/4-inch hex screws to the bottom. You then can run skid free and enjoy the smiles and “thumbs up” from others.

See you on the trail! As always, discuss any new exercise plan with your health care provider.

Kristin LaMoure is a certified personal fitness trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine. She owns and operates Sequim Gym. Contact her at columnists@sequimgazette.com.