Running for a Cause

by Gwen Schrank

Running for a great cause

Every January people make New Year’s resolutions to get healthier, lose weight, and become the best versions of themselves. Oftentimes, they lose interest in those goals a few weeks or even a few days after making the commitment to change. This year we want to challenge our readers to join us in preparing for an upcoming event created to provide awareness and prevention throughout the United States—our very goal here at Breathe. We plan to support and participate in the Fifty Five Fifty Run/Walk Series developed by Adel B. Korkor, M.D. as a way to address the epidemic of mental health problems. His idea of running a 5k race in all 50 states in 50 days has become his effort to start a movement that will spread from one coast to the other, one state at a time. The mission of the Fifty Five Fifty Run/Walk Series is to make the world a better place for those suffering from mental illness. The funds raised from the walk will be used by the AB Korkor Foundation to increase awareness, address the shortage of affordable care, emphasize the importance of wellness in mental health, fund research, and focus on underserved groups such as veterans, minorities, and those suffering from addiction.

California’s race day is on May 9th, 2020 and registration opens on February 1st.

In the meantime, we get the opportunity to come together to train for it. Wouldn’t it be an awesome opportunity for the California Central Valley to represent mental wellness in ways that reach all across the country? We would like to take as many people with us as possible.

Some of you may be having a hard time getting off the couch after going through this past holiday season. We want you to know that you are not alone. Getting off the couch is half the battle. You got this! We are going to meet you wherever you are on this journey. If you are not the type of person who likes jogging or running, that’s okay, too; you can join our team as a walker. If you can’t walk, then perhaps you can support others who will be.

The point of this whole challenge is to start moving together and in the same direction, creating awareness and prevention for those who suffer from mental illness. We can support people who are trying to hold on for dear life by showing them that we are willing to step outside our comfort zone to walk, jog, or run to help them. So let’s get started!

Gearing up

As new runners, it’s important to get the proper running gear. This includes properly fitted shoes. Visit a local running shoe store to be fitted for the right size. More than just sizing, these specialty shoe stores can assess how the foot lands when running and recommend sneakers based on individual needs. Having the right running socks is important as well. They need to be comfortable, soft, and breathable. Avoid cotton because this material sucks in the sweat. Look for moisture wicking options to keep your feet dry and blister-free.

Training

People at all fitness levels can compete and train in this program. It is specifically geared toward beginners who have spent many months hanging out on the couch with little to no exercise routine at all. We don’t want to overwhelm anyone who feels anxiety about being part of a fitness team challenge.

It’s important to stretch before and after a run, warming up those muscles being laced up. Never skip warm-ups for any reason because they reduce the possibility of injury. It’s also a good idea to incorporate a pre-warm up to the warm-up walk. This can include jumping jacks, high knees, and lungs just to get your heart rate up and blood flowing. Just a few reps of each exercise will do the trick.

Each workout starts with a five minute warm-up that consists of a brisk walk. The first workout is a 20 minute session that features two minutes of jogging with 10 minutes of walking. The second week of runs require jogging for slightly longer, and by week four you will be jogging half of a 5k. It starts to get easier.

There will be days when you just want to stay on the couch. The good news is that there are only three days dedicated to training per week. The other days can absolutely be used as rest days to do exactly that. If you are an over achiever, you can include other forms of exercise on other days. This helps to increase endurance, makes the body stronger, and works out different muscle groups, which can all help to make you faster. With that said, diet is also important—not just for weight loss. Eating smart is always a good idea. This means cutting calories and ditching sugary drinks, unhealthy carbs, and eating more fruits, veggies, and healthy carbs.

Coming together for the fitness challenge is more than a program. It is a positive lifestyle change that helps us have a different and better outlook when it comes to our health. It will require us to dig deep and find motivation on days when we just want to give up. We encourage you to find a buddy to train with and stay in contact with our team as a whole for encouragement and motivation. We are here for each other and together we can achieve anything.

www.gsclubhouse.org to join our Central Valley Breathe Team www.fivefiftyfifty.com for additional information about the Five Fifty Fifty Walk Run for Mental Health