Another New Year, another round of resolutions! Statistics show that more than 60 percent of people develop a plan for resolutions, but only between 30 percent and 40 percent follow through long enough for the resolution to become a positive habit.
I have the good fortune to be involved in two classes for beginning runners that start in January 2014. These classes are for those who want to start running for fitness and overall wellness. Classes meet once a week for eight consecutive weeks. Meeting time totals about one hour and increases to 90 minutes by the end of the course. Distance of the runs will begin at a half mile on the first night and increase to 3.1 miles on the last class night. All participants get a commemorative dri-fit shirt and a training schedule, plus free entry into a Salisbury Rowan Runners 5K race following completion of the course.
We will have a 30 minute classroom session with each class that includes topics of course overview, running shoes and equipment, nutrition, stretching and strengthening, running form, injury prevention, safety, race day and much more. If you plan to take the class, don’t buy new shoes before you hear the discussion on the proper things that make the best fit. That program is part of the second week’s class.
The first class is being held at First Methodist Church in Salisbury and will meet on Monday nights, starting on Jan. 6 at 5:45 p.m. Cost for the class is $65 and is payable on the first night and includes membership in the Salisbury Rowan Runners for one year. The First Methodist Church class is co-sponsored by Novant Health Rowan Medical Center and Salisbury Parks and Recreation.
The second class, “Fortify Your Fitness,” takes place at Rowan Cabarrus Community College at the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis. Meetings will be held on Tuesday nights at 5:30 p.m., starting on Jan. 14, in room 202. Cost for the class is $60. Please register soon, as class size is limited. Go to www.rccc.edu/enrichment, click WebAdvisor, then students, then registration. Click on course and look for “Fortify Your Fitness.” Please call 704-216-7222 for more information. Late registrants can pay on the first night of class if space allows.
Other healthy living enrichment classes offered by RCCC include Core Stability, Beginning Yoga and T’ai Chi.
Both classes will offer a lot of camaraderie and individual assistance. The runs around First Methodist Church will be held in the downtown area of Salisbury, and runs at RCCC Kannapolis will be held entirely on campus. Benefits of running include increased aerobic fitness by exercising the heart and cardiovascular system. Weight-bearing exercise also increases bone strength and balance. Increased mental acuity is a common plus, as are self- awareness and confidence. Weight loss is also a common result.
Bottom line — if you have thought about running as a New Year’s resolution or just for your general well-being, come and join us. These classes are usually populated by new runners or those that need a boost in their efforts to restart. You will get lots of individual attention and plenty of answers to your questions. A group setting often provides the boost that is needed to keep improving.
Feel free to check out www.salisburyrowanrunners.org for more information or call 704-310-6741. Learning to run is a great way to begin 2014.