David Freeze

By David Freeze

    I first met Kayla Sechler when we covered her sister Kassidy’s battle with heart disease. Kayla has her own impressive story about how she approaches life. Kayla has Cerebral Palsy, yet she’s taking life by the horns and charging forward.

    Back before Covid, I was able to see a mid-40’s female teacher with full blown Cerebral Palsy train for a year to finish her 5K. It remains the most moving experience related to running that I have ever witnessed when she crossed the finish line. Kayla is made of the same mold and just as inspiring as she committed to do the Love Thy Neighbor 5K last March 16^th.   

     Cerebral Palsy is caused by an abnormality in the brain that happens before, during or after birth. Kayla was diagnosed at 18 months old with Spastic Diplegia Cerebral Palsy. This form of Cerebral Palsy affects the muscle tone and spasticity of the muscles. Luckily for Kayla, it only affects her legs.  Kayla said, “The form of CP I have affects the spasticity of my muscles, meaning that my brain is constantly sending signals to my leg muscles to continuously contract, causing stiffness.”

    The reason Kayla chose to participate in this 5K was to benefit her sister, while also completing a post-surgical goal to complete a 5K that she set back in January 2022 after her own big procedure. Doctors straightened her legs by breaking both femurs and her left tibia, along with an arch reconstruction on the left foot, tendon lengthening in both legs and a split tendon transfer in the right foot. After surgery she had two metal rods, 18 screws and two metal plates to hold her bones together as they healed. The eventual removal of the screws and plates helped with pain and her ability to walk. 

    Kayla described her 5K effort, “I felt great until about the mile and a half mark. My legs started getting a little shaky and I started feeling tired. I think what kept me going the most was having my former teacher, Ashley Lanning, by my side through the entire race. The final mile was the hardest for me as I was worn out. Having my sister, Kas, finish the race with me was super special and something I will never forget.”

    To offset the effects of CP, Kayla uses constant stretching and moving to keep her muscles as active as possible so that they don’t tighten up to the point where she is unable to walk without assistance or wheelchair bound.  

    Kayla’s calendar is full. She said, “I am a leader for Young Life of Rowan County, a program for high schoolers to come together and worship with one another. I am also a leader of a group called Circle of Friends for those with intellectual and physical disabilities at First Baptist Church in Salisbury, NC. I volunteered at Special Olympics during the past year and have been a volunteer for Vacation Bible School at First Reformed Church in Landis, NC.”

     While crediting her parents, Kayla said, “They have never failed to make sure I had everything I needed, whether it was seeing the best doctors or putting food on the table, my parents do absolutely everything in their power to provide for both my sister and me. At the age of four, I became a big sister, and I have to say that has been the biggest blessing in my life. We may not always agree with one another but with everything we have both gone through, she remains by my side through it all.”

   A 21-year-old junior at Catawba College majoring in Sport Management, Kayla hopes to eventually complete her master’s degree. In just a few short weeks, she begins an internship with the Winston-Salem Dash, a minor league affiliate to the Chicago White Sox. At Catawba, she does data analysis for the baseball team, and in the fall she begins volunteering her time with the football team as a football operations student manager.

    Kayla said, “I have many goals, but my biggest dream for as long as I can remember is working in the world of sports and being the gateway for other women with disabilities who want to do the same. After watching countless hours of sporting events, ranging from football to baseball, with a little bit of collegiate basketball and cheering on my sister in her many sporting events, I love being in the atmosphere of sports.” 

    And she added, “I am planning to do another 5K sometime in November that benefits Shriners Children’s Hospital-Greenville in South Carolina.”

     Kayla is a winner and a success in the making in all her endeavors.      A short update on Kassidy includes a recent hospital stay to change heart medications that can only be used short term. Your prayers would be greatly appreciated for both girls and their family.

By David Freeze

I wasn’t surprised at all that running remains a big part of Patrick Smith’s life as Salisbury’s police chief. He started running in late 2000 as part of his regular workout routine at the J.F. Hurley YMCA, using his lunch break to run a mile or two on the treadmill before weightlifting.

Smith said, “Once I started training to become a police officer, I got exposed to running outside and thought to myself that I can see so much more running outside versus a treadmill. I have not been on a treadmill since. Then around 2016, my daughter started running cross country for Carson High School, so I picked up my running and began running more competitively. My first race was the Santa 5K at Millbridge and it will remain one of my favorites.”

Older now and with competitive days behind him, Smith continued, “I still run for mental wellness and to break up my day. I don’t run as fast and may occasionally run a 5K, but I am not chasing any records. If only a few people sign up, I will stand a chance at winning a medal. When I competed, I ran five days a week: speed day, track day, medium-pace long run, and fartleks (a form of speed work). Sundays were easy 11-12-mile runs. Now, I run around 3.5 to 4 miles three to four days a week at a relaxing pace just to clear my headspace. I try to run on my lunch break because I am not a morning person, but if I can’t get my run during lunch, I run in the evenings at home since the time change.”

Almost a native, Smith has lived in Salisbury and Rowan County for 50 years after moving here at 3 months old. He has three surviving children, all in college or who have completed college, the youngest starting law school at Campbell Law this coming fall. He has been married to his rock and best friend for 17 years.

When asked about his running with the demanding schedule as police chief, Smith said, “Once again, I have to resort back to mental wellness. Running helps to clear my mind and work through my thoughts. Though I have had to change my running schedule daily to meet the job’s demands, I still try to keep up the slow, mind-clearing runs regularly. I may start training to compete again as I age, hoping the older age groups don’t train as hard as I had to 10 years ago. Either way, running is a part of my life, and as long as I can remain upright, I will keep trucking.”

After being diagnosed with stage 3 fibrosis and a fatty liver a few years back, Smith improved his eating, increased his running, and lost 50 pounds in less than six months. Smith said, “Now my bloodwork is normal, and I continue to get good reports from the doctor. There was no magic pill, just commitment and discipline.”

Among Smith’s many interests are Special Olympics and encouraging better health for others, including his police officers.

The Salisbury Police Department partners with Parks and Rec and the Salisbury Rowan Runners to host spring and fall beginning running classes. Smith was instrumental in the PD hosting them and said, “We have been holding the classes for five years and have no plans to stop. All that matters is to take the first step, and after a few months the body craves it.”

The North Carolina Law Enforcement Torch Run will pass through Salisbury on Wednesday, May 15. Officers from the Salisbury Police Department, Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, North Carolina Highway Patrol, and many other agencies will participate. Starting at Airport Road, then with a brief stop by Bell Tower Green Park, the runners will meet some of the Special Olympics athletes from Rowan County. The torch then proceeds to the Spencer city limits and possibly the Davidson County line where it passes to the Lexington PD.

Smith said, “Come out and cheer us on if you are available. We should be in downtown Salisbury around 11 a.m. or shortly after.”

The TWAM 5K is just ahead on April 26 at First Presbyterian Church, Salisbury’s only evening race.

Look for this and other events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org.

By David Freeze

Last week, the Julian family shared the beginning of a weeklong European running vacation. Rebekah, Scott, Hope, Eli and Noah make up Rowan’s premier running family. Here is the conclusion.

Italy was the last country visited, beginning with the small town of Marenello, where the family found a bike trail that ran behind some farms and a golf course, then stayed along the river the entire way. The trail had a nice surface of small gravel, was mostly flat and under trees on a super-hot afternoon. They began running around 5:30 p.m. and saw many cyclists, some lady walkers and a few runners this time who offered nods of acceptance. This trail went for miles and had connectors as well for other areas of the city. They loved this trail so much we decided to do it again the next morning.

The last stop of the trip was Seina in the countryside. Close to their lodging, most roads were narrow with few cyclists on them and no shoulder or curb, but with some stone walls.

Rebekah said, “I found a tourist app about the dirt roads and cyclists touring the countryside. Locals told us if there is no sign or gate, then it’s OK to use the road. The area was hilly, perfect for hill workouts. Eli found a dirt road, so all ran together late morning for this adventure as part of our last day. We parked on the dirt road and were shocked when Italian cyclists flew by with race numbers on. A local gentleman at the entrance to the road said, “Park where you want and it’s OK to use.” Their dirt roads are finer gravel than our dirt roads, but have a few big flat rocks implanted in them for traction. They are also wider with plenty of room to pass. We all started our run with the Italian cyclists.”

The cyclists had motorcycles following, and a stop for their water and health check along the way. The boys and Scott went out on their own, so Hope and Rebekah decided to stay together and make it a hill workout day. They ran out about a mile, did their stretching and started the hill sprints (about a 200-meter hill). They could run the hill faster than the cyclists could bike, often passing them going up the hill but then were of course passed going down. Rebekah used this to make the workout harder, pushing to catch the next cyclists up the hill.

Rebekah added, “It kept me focused and going. Unfortunately, we saw a cyclist have a terrible crash and an ambulance picked him up. Other cyclists stayed around his belongings until his team got there. Cyclists, an estimated 400-500, of all ages and levels passed us during our workout. We had amazing views at the top, especially as we were running near a local farm with horses and a Great Pyrenees dog protecting the livestock. All this was one of the highlights and the most unexpected adventure of our trip.”

Rebekah concluded, “I share all this as good information to others on how to travel, still exercise and see the local traditions among awesome adventures. Just put a few light clothes and your running shoes in the suitcase. Our running adventures were free, and we got some personal highlights that paying a big tour company could never provide. These countries really are proud of the trail system they have created for cyclists primarily but allow runners and walkers to use them as well. They have connected small cities, allowed running long distances while not in heavy traffic, thus providing a daily activity all can use. Many hopes for your adventures ahead on your exercise experience while on vacation!”

The next race locally is the familiar Teens With A Mission 5K and Super Hero Fun Run at First Presbyterian Church on Friday evening, April 26, at 7 p.m. It is Salisbury’s only evening race, and all proceeds benefit their youth mission trips.

Look for this and other events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org.

By David Freeze

Rowan’s premier running family enjoyed a very special vacation, and the details are worth sharing. Mom, Rebekah, is owner of the Lazy Five Vets and a lifelong runner. Here are excerpts from her family’s travels for 10 days in June 2023. Other family members are dad, Scott; daughter, Hope; and sons, Noah and Eli.

Rebekah said, “Running is always a part of our lifestyle, even if on vacation. We may be at different levels with mileage and workouts but being a running family, we have enjoyed some great memories and experiences running in other places. I always find it intriguing to see how other people truly live and even what type of exercising they love to do when on vacation in other areas of the United States or now a tiny piece of Europe. I have often struck up conversations with people that we would never have until they see our family running together. I honestly was quite anxious and apprehensive about us getting in good runs in Europe. We were in countries whose languages were foreign to us, places that I did not know anyone, and was just unsure if it was normal for their culture to exercise in parks, on trails, etc. I was pleasantly surprised to find some great runs, some that will give our family memories forever.”

The family was looking for trails because they prefer soft surfaces. They often use trail maps, not always the best option for the running. Rebekah also used the Strava app, Google Maps and topography sites. She found another app call Wikiloc, used more in Europe. Various concerns included how busy with traffic, how hilly or flat, how large are the trails and was the area part of a park.

Rebekah said, “Safety is always a top priority when looking for a place to run. Noah and Eli are old enough now they can go on their own and we all need to feel comfortable. Hope and I typically stay with Scott, or we run together. I am now the slowest runner in our family so Noah or Scott would run with Hope on her workouts. Oftentimes we will choose areas that we pass each other so out and backs are typically how we plan the run out. We always know where each other is planning to run and stay in the same area. I always carry my phone and have international capability just in case. I also really pay attention to others around me, runners, cyclists, are they alone and are women running alone. I never run with music in unknown areas due to safety concerns. We typically try to run in the mornings as well, with less traffic and typically the people around us are those exercising in early morning hours. We did some afternoon runs but never at night.”

The family started in Munich, Germany, and during the ride to the hotel, they saw lots of cyclists riding along trails that connect city to city called “Redwig.” “We thought it so wonderful to provide countryside and city options for exercise without the car. Similar to our ‘greenways’ but all on tiny gravel, these trails went miles and miles from one city to another.” The family’s first run the next morning had to be along the city paved bike paths to a large park they found, an absolutely beautiful place to run.

Rebekah added, “I was amazed at all the walkers, runners and cyclists we passed, many with dogs. The trails were very wide and offered lots of different options to cut through and repeat what you previously ran. We could easily get 10 miles or more in this flat park. Eli did some mile repeats, Noah just enjoyed running, while Hope and I did a fartlek (a type of speed training). I will say this park was one of the quietest and cleanest city parks I had ever seen, even though there were many people and dogs. We just all took in the beauty that morning.”

To be continued next week…

Look for the One in 5K and Fun Run at Knox Middle School on April 13, benefiting the Family Crisis Council along with other events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org.

By David Freeze

Sheriff Travis Allen has become a regular at the races over the last few months. Here’s his story and why running is working for him.

Not a stranger to running, Allen said, “I would use running to lose weight or try to get fit, off and on but never consistently. While a young deputy, I would run in order to stay in shape for the SRT/SWAT team, but most of my running adventures would end in a few weeks due to injury from doing too much too early. But just putting in the ear buds and disengaging from life for a few minutes helps me keep getting better and healthier. I have Type 2 diabetes and running really helps that. Good Brooks shoes from Ralph Baker and compression socks have so far kept the knots and injuries away.”

A competitive person by nature, Allen loves the challenge and chasing goals associated with running. He said, “Running is much more enjoyable when done with others, and I have met several new friends that drive that competitive spirit. Running my own race, I just want to get better each week and catch the one in front of me. And then the next, but often I am the one getting passed. The races are a great way to support our local charities.”

Allen is 53 and started back exercising on Dec. 27 with speed walking. He now runs four days a week with about four miles a day, totaling 215 miles since his restart. Wanting to avoid injury and a return to the couch because of it, Allen said, “My goal is to run a sub-30-minute 5K by end of summer, knocking off 2 minutes and 30 seconds to make that goal. I don’t have any aspirations for longer runs until I lose a little more weight. If I lose about 25 more pounds, longer races might be in the future.”

Allen met Joel Whittington, another restarting runner, at the Will Run for Food 5K. He said, “I kept Joel and a woman in sight and reeled in the woman, but Joel kept adjusting his pace to stay ahead of me. I finally got him this past Saturday at the Mt. Hope 5K, after Joel had gone to his church and told friends he ran from the law and the sheriff couldn’t catch him. These are the types of encounters and new friends that make races so much fun.”

Competing against the clock and himself, Allen runs each week to beat his best time. He has recently been training on hills to maintain his intended pace. Allen joins Salisbury Police Chief Patrick Smith and previous Sheriff Kevin Auten as those who see the benefits of running and finding time to spend alone. Allen still is just a phone call away should any concern arise.

A lifelong resident of Rowan County, Allen was born and raised in the Woodleaf area. His family currently lives near Mount Ulla and the Millbridge community. After picking tomatoes as a teen at Wetmore Farms, Allen calls himself an old country boy at heart. His wife of 31 years, Michelle, is currently teaching at North Hills after about 20 years in the public schools. She has always taught art.

The Allens have four children. Daughter Kaitlyn is married and lives in Concord. At 28, she flies the Airbus for United Airlines. Oldest son Avery is a N.C. Wildlife officer assigned to Richmond County. Middle son Bradley is 22, married and living in Mooresville, is in sales. Youngest son Wesley is 16 and a 10th grader.

Allen said, “I hope the community enjoys me being on the roads and at the races. I enjoy the citizens of our county. Even if I can’t catch them.” I think he’ll catch more of them soon.

Up next week is the popular West Rowan Bible Teachers Association 5K and Fun Run at West Rowan Elementary School, starting at 9 a.m. on April 6. Proceeds pay for Bible teachers in the schools. Sheriff Allen is already training on the course.

Look for the WRBTA races and others ahead at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org.

By David Freeze

Things are much different with races these days from when I began running in 1979. 5Ks are all the rage now and there are lots of choices within an hour’s drive. Forty-five years ago, we often drove 2 or more hours to find a race and 8K, 10K and 10 milers were popular. The 5K was usually the secondary race if it was even offered. Walkers seldom participated then, but last week’s 5K at Concordia Lutheran Church Love Thy Neighbor event had them as about a third of the field. Races were affordable nearly everywhere, but today’s pricing often tops $40-45. There were no participation medals then, but now the biggest city races nearly all have them. But good races had accurate courses and they still should.

In the ’80s and early in the ’90s, we didn’t have as many ways to measure the distance of the race or a run of any length. The best way to get an idea of the distance was to drive the course and hope the vehicle odometer was calibrated correctly. Nobody had satellite-capable watches like the industry standard Garmins that arrived on the scene in the late ’90s and early 2000s.

I believe that these Garmins are the best satellite watches on the market, but still they are not totally accurate. Neither are popular sites like MapMyRun and Strava. It is very common for a new race to call with the idea of already having their course mapped out. Or that they have drawn it on GIS. None of these methods are recognized as accurate by the Road Runners Club of America or the United States Association of Track and Field. All this will come as a shock to a large percentage of runners, and at least one race director in a nearby county who still drives his car over the course for a measurement.

So, how do we get an accurately measured course? It starts with a solid wheel on a handle, one that can be rolled along ahead of someone walking the course. Called wheel measurers, they measure feet and inches. The wheel is solid, not air inflated. This wheel or a Jones Counter, a bicycle mounted measurer, are all that are recognized as accurate. With the Jones Counter, the bicycle tires have to be calibrated for air pressure. No wonder the measuring wheel is the easiest to use device.

When setting up a course, either the start or finish point have to be chosen by the race director as most important. The 5K course can be measured forward or backward, and I usually measure forward if the start line is the most important while going backward if the finish is most important. By measuring backward, I would measure the .1 of the 3.1 total course first and then measure the third mile next, then 2 and 1. Each mile is 5,280 feet. That figure never changes. A tenth is 528 feet. A 5K course is 16,368 feet. Each of these points are marked with paint and occasionally with an old-style bottle cap secured with a nail driven into pavement.

Next most important to the actual distance is that the course be measured the way an experienced runner would run it. In other words, to match the shortest distance possible over the designated course. This term is called “running the tangents.” Legal, proper and expected.

There is a certain amount of math that complicates an intended course when it is not an out and back to a point that includes both the start and finish. A few of our local courses end several hundred feet from the start. Sometimes a turnaround point has to be calculated, and always should be marked and designated with a big cone or barrel. It gets to be even more interesting when different roads, called a loop, are used to return to the start or finish.

The next time you line up to walk or run a 5K or any distance race, remember that someone put a lot of effort into making the course accurate. Rowan County courses have a great reputation on this subject.

Look for future events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

By David Freeze

We have been fortunate over the years with rain. I remember lots of forecasts for big rain that fizzled out. I remember only one that had worse conditions that what happened at the Wipe Out Colorectal Cancer 5K this past Saturday. That popular race benefited the fire department and was held at the J.F. Hurley YMCA. The finish was on the track behind the Y and all finishers had to run through 6-8 inches of standing water near the finish.

On Saturday, May 9, we heard the forecast all week calling for 95-100% chances of rain. Prayers for a better day didn’t work out this time. The 5K start was set near the dugouts at the Catawba softball field, with a quick run out that sidewalk over the bridge and a hard right on the greenway headed for the Crescent.

In an area where water often stands, recent rains made the situation worse. Water was already across the sidewalk before the early Saturday rains. Six inches of standing water again, and this would have been at the start of the race, not a good thing for shoes. We moved the start up on Forestdale Street, just outside the greenway entrance. A quickly painted S in the middle of the road made a brand new start line.

We didn’t expect a whole lot of the 172 registered runners to show up as the steady rain continued to fall. Volunteers to man the course intersections were missing too, another victim of the rain. But quick work by a shorthanded cone crew marked the course through the Crescent development and we were ready for a race.

Cars started to arrive and kept coming. All with wipers and lights on. Most of the runners and walkers got out seriously dressed for the rain. Race organizers from Rowan Diagnostic Clinic gave out free ponchos to all who wanted one. Headgear was varied and interesting as the rain got harder.

The finish line had to be shortened as standing water began to rise near the softball field. Participants were alerted at the last minute to drive to 1111 Forestdale, the new start. Suddenly the street was packed with cars as runners and walkers hustled to begin the race.

The race began on time at 9 a.m., just as the rain became a steady downpour. They ran and walked the greenway and toured the Crescent before heading back toward Catawba. In the meantime, SRR’s finish line volunteers had established a scaled down finish area with cones and a clock, which then quickly drowned out. The first runners back had to slow down to keep from running into the water.

I’ve seen few races with such a large number of the biggest smiles I have ever seen at a finish line. Finish line volunteers greeted the participants with more smiles, knowing that this was an unusual race, not just for the rain but for its purpose. It’s likely a race that few will forget, and Rowan Diagnostic Clinic organizers are already looking toward next year.

Race director Lauren Britt said, “The CheckIt4Andretti Foundation helped provide the connections and the funding to deliver colonoscopies to low-income, high-risk patients that are either uninsured or too young for their insurance to cover the procedure. Nancy Andretti is the founder of the foundation, and she created the movement after her husband, John Andretti (who is Mario Andretti’s nephew and a former NASCAR driver for Richard Petty), passed away from colon cancer at the age of 56. Nancy got in contact with our Digestive Health Associates office and our two GI doctors agreed to partner with the foundation to provide those colonoscopies for people in Rowan County. As of right now, we’ve raised just over $8,000 to donate to their foundation but we are expecting more donations to continue to come in, specifically from some of our doctors here.” Nancy, son Jarrett and daughters, Olivia and Amelia, all completed the race.

Britt continued, “One of RDC’s owners, Dr. Sean Malone, was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in 2022 and is still battling it so this race and fundraiser was also to honor him and to get awareness out about early detection.” Contact Britt at lbritt@rowandiagnostic.com

For information on other upcoming events, see www.salisburyrowanrunners.org.

By David Freeze

It is time to go walking. Longer afternoons and better temperatures are here. Springtime is awakening around you. Grab a friend and you can motivate each other.

Carry your ID with emergency contact information and bring a small amount of cash and a cell phone with you, especially if walking alone. Be seen to be safe. Wear light or brightly colored clothing during the day. Wear reflective material on your clothing and carry a flashlight at night. Choose routes that are well-used, well-lit and safe.

Wear sturdy, appropriate shoes for your activity that give you proper cushioning and footing.

If possible, walk during daylight hours.

Choose routes with places to sit in case you want to stop and rest, and those with water available unless you carry your own Always walk facing oncoming traffic.

Walk on a sidewalk or a path whenever possible. Watch out for uneven sidewalks, which are tripping hazards. Look for a smooth, stable surface alongside the road if available.

If the road has guardrails, see if there’s a smooth, flat surface behind the barrier where you can walk. If you need to walk on a paved shoulder, stay as far away from traffic as possible.

Watch for bridges which may force you into the road or street and narrow shoulders.

Cross at crosswalks or intersections. Jaywalking increases your risk of a serious accident. Pay attention to the traffic signal. Cross only when you have the pedestrian crossing signal. Never assume a driver sees you crossing the street. Try to make eye contact with drivers as they approach. Before you start to cross a street, make sure you have plenty of time to get across.

Rushing increases your risk of falling. Look across all lanes you must cross and make sure each lane is clear before proceeding. Look left, right, and left again before crossing. Just because one driver stops, don’t presume drivers in other lanes will stop for you.

Check out city parks. Many parks have walking or jogging trails away from traffic and will stay open later now.

Keep in contact: When you are walking alone, let someone know where you’ll be walking and when you expect to return, then let that person know that you have returned. This should develop into a habit and could get you valuable help if you can’t place the return call.

Be alert: When walking near wooded areas and dense brush, you need to be especially aware of your surroundings and any possible threats.

Beware of strangers: It’s unfortunate to even have to write about this but yes, there is always a possibility that you will draw the unwanted attention of the criminal element.

Be prepared. Walk in areas that have other walkers, runners, foot traffic and cars (believe it or not). Acting alert and aware can convince a bad guy that he should move on. Don’t look timid and don’t avoid eye contact. And don’t use the same route and direction at the same time each day.

Protection devices: Consider carrying a small pepper spray clipped to your belt in case a dog (or human) gets too aggressive for comfort. Your regular style car key can be a heck of a weapon, as can the heel of your open hand driven into a nose.

Keep your earbud volume down: Listening to audiobooks or music while walking is a wonderful way to utilize your time. But do keep the volume at a level where you can also hear your environment. Some people only use one ear bud. You need to be aware of cars, kids, dogs and other factors in order to walk safely. You will also thank yourself in years to come that your hearing wasn’t blown out while staying in shape.

You can achieve numerous health benefits by taking a daily walk. Some of these are improved mental health and confidence, a boost in immunity, weight loss, less chance of diabetes and certain cancers. You will also improve mobility and increased cardiovascular fitness and you are less likely to reach for high sugar snacks that come from stress eating. Just 150 minutes a week is the recognized goal for better health. Finally, a great way to challenge yourself is to sign up for a local 5K.

Look at the future events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org and pick one out for a motivator. Walkers are welcome at all of SRR’s events. We hope to see you at one soon!

By David Freeze

A few warmer days have a lot of folks starting to think about getting in shape for the beach and other warm weather pursuits. The 18th annual spring beginning runners class will kick off on Tuesday, March 12, at 6 p.m., again at the Salisbury Police Station at 130 Liberty Street.

The spring class will continue for eight weeks of Tuesday meetings, each time beginning with a 30-minute classroom session. Topics for these sessions include shoes and equipment, stretching and strengthening, running form, injury prevention, nutrition and safety.

Each participant gets a training schedule, a dri-fit training shirt, membership in the Salisbury Rowan Runners for a year and entry into the May 25 Bare Bones 5K. They will also get individual coaching and encouragement throughout the program and should come prepared to run/walk a half mile on the first night on the way to 3.1 miles during week 8. Classes are held regardless of the weather.

Children under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult or with special permission. Cost remains $65 per person. Registration is live at runsignup.com

Next up locally are three interesting races. A new race, the Wipe Out Colorectal Cancer 5K and Fun Run for Rowan Diagnostic Clinic is set for March 9. The 5K will start at the Catawba College softball field, then will use the greenway and a portion of the Crescent area on an out and back course. After the run, the scene will shift to the Rowan Diagnostic Clinic at 611 Mocksville Avenue for a block party and fun run. All runners and walkers will get a food truck voucher and commemorative t-shirt. Proceeds will provide free colonoscopies for those in need.

On March 16, the Love Thy Neighbor 5K/10K/ Fun Run will all be held as part of the 8th Annual Fundraiser at Concordia Lutheran Church. Both the 5K and 10K courses are rural near the church and will be protected by Atwell Fire Department. The scenery itself may be the prettiest for any race in the county. Participants, both runners and walkers, get a free country breakfast and shirt. All proceeds will be used to help with medical expenses for Kassidy Sechler, the South Rowan High School softball player who experienced a cardiac arrest at a tournament in 2021. Kassidy has experienced multiple hospital stays and visits since that time. A detailed story about Kassidy and the Love Thy Neighbor event is in today’s Post.

The last race of the month is the Mt. Hope Church 5K and Fun Run at Salisbury Community Park on March 23. All proceeds are used for missions, locally and abroad. The course uses pavement and hard-packed gravel surfaces.

All three races have refreshments, many overall and age group awards and are open to runners and walkers.

My latest book is just out and available locally at Father and Son Produce. It’s entitled “River Ride” and is a recounting of my bicycle journeys during the summer of 2022 and 2023. It encompasses my journey along the complete Mississippi River from the source at Lake Itasca State Park, Minnesota to New Orleans, Louisiana, and covering more than 2,500 miles. Additionally, I pedaled from Lake Itasca to Duluth, Minnesota, to jump into a new journey along the North Shore of Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes and the largest body of fresh water by area in the world.

Unusual to this book were a large group of people who I met along the way and were actively involved in the journey. Never before during any of the long-distance trips had so much of this happened. I am still in touch with a dozen or so of them and all will receive a copy of the book for their efforts.

Also included in this journey is the recounting of a 20-hour train trip back to Salisbury from New Orleans and a visit to the “Field of Dreams” movie site, where I got to run the bases and walk out of the corn just as the old-time baseball players did.

Look for more information on running and walking events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org.

By David Freeze

Since I reported that the Daily Mile is no longer a part of the day at Rowan Salisbury Schools, I have received many comments, every single one in favor of the program being restarted. Simply put, the Daily Mile is a worldwide program that gets the students and staff out of the classroom for 15 minutes a day, using that time for walking or running. Just long enough to chase the mile distance, 5,280 feet. Sounds simple, and it’s all free. No cost to any participant. Several weeks ago, I recounted all the successes the Daily Mile brought to RSSS through an article published in Salisbury the Magazine and endorsed by then Superintendent Lynn Moody.

As the person who designed and prepared the walking track at each school, I was involved from the start. The Duke Endowment covered the costs and Novant Health oversaw the funding payouts to make the tracks happen. Healthy Rowan encouraged the kids and staff, and the school administration mandated participation by teachers, administrators and students.

The students loved it. Hope Julian, daughter of Rebekah and Scott Julian, valued her time outside. She said, “The daily mile helped a lot during school because it made time to get outside and socialize with others. During COVID, we were not allowed to take our masks off in school and went to school about two days of the week so when we had the daily mile, it helped me catch up with friends, exercise, get fresh air and focus in school. Kids would walk and talk together, we would sometimes race and just have fun exercising. So many kids didn’t know what a mile was till we had the daily mile.

I also noticed it helped the teachers with having fresh perspectives when going back inside.

Now that I am in middle school, I really wish I still had the daily mile and I am so grateful that I had that when I was in elementary school. I know it helped me and others excel in school even though it was such a short time period out of the day.”

Allison Adams, the Rowan Salisbury Schools lead physical education teacher, said, “I believe that the Daily Mile is an essential part of the elementary student’s school day. As a parent of two elementary school students, I have seen firsthand how It gives students the ability to exercise during the school day. The Daily Mile is an activity which helps the student connect with classmates and build social skills. It encourages children to focus on the importance of lifelong fitness.

The Daily Mile is inclusive, so all children are able to take part in some way. It encompasses all of our students; children with physical difficulties, special educational needs or mobility issues can all participate in The Daily Mile with support if needed. I believe that the Daily Mile should be done every single day, as originally intended.” Dr. Kelly Withers, RSSS superintendent, weighed in: “The Daily Mile remains a part of multiple school schedules. Our strategic plan wellness team, of which I believe you were invited to attend, will continue to eliminate barriers to wellness activities and create opportunities for students and staff to focus on their wellness and health within our school day with their recently named new leader. We appreciate the continued partnership with Novant Health and Healthy Rowan as they support all our wellness initiatives including the Daily Mile.”

A handful of schools are still doing some exercise, but the rest are making little to no effort, and none are doing the program as originally intended. Several principals have said there is no time for exercise. The wellness committee is now six months into their discussions and the Daily Mile has not been addressed. Both Novant Health and Healthy Rowan called with their disappointment that the Daily Mile is dying. I agree.

Check out www.thedailymile.us. Under testimonials, I read this. “As a physical therapist for 39 years, I prescribe movement for health and well-being. We have scientific evidence that movement increases mental function by increasing oxygenation to the entire body, including the brain. Exercise and movement increase productivity in every work place. It used to be routine, that children participated in P.E. (physical education) as part of a regular school day curriculum. Somehow, that has decreased throughout the United States… and now we have more and more challenges with childhood obesity, depression, suicide and behavioral classroom challenges. What if … participating in walking, jogging or running a Daily Mile could and will reverse these crises among our youth? Wouldn’t that be a simple solution? I am ‘all in’ on this one. Let’s get our youth moving!” — Lynn Schorn, physical therapist, Washington state

Look for upcoming running and walking events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org.