Columns

By David Freeze

Bible Teachers 5K Is a Big Success!

      The WRBTA 5K and Fun Run on April 18^th in Cleveland was even better than expected! Race director Deb Gusler said, “Planning and preparations for this year’s race began shortly after last year’s event. We created a 5K board this year which made the planning process more organized and efficient. Each year, we take time to evaluate what worked well and explore new ways to enhance the overall race experience.”

     More than 560 runners registered for the races and 466 finished. Overall winner was Cody McNeely with a time of 20 minutes and one second. He was followed by Isaac McLauglin in 20:12 and David Shields with 21:30. Top female was Colette Conway with a time of 23:18. Second was Jessica King in 23:30 and third went to Dilsa Calderon in 24:40. Tops in the fun run was Rames Morris. By my memory, this is the largest Rowan County race in the last decade.

       Gusler continued, “Some of the biggest highlights of preparing for the race are reaching out to sponsors and sharing the impact that WRBTA has for our public school Bible classes. It’s always encouraging to see how willing our community is to support what we’re doing. Another highlight is the excitement in our schools. Activities like our 5K pep rally help students understand what the race is all about, and seeing their energy and enthusiasm makes all the hard work leading up to trace day even more meaningful.”

      There are so many people who deserve credit that Gusler didn’t want to name them for fear of leaving someone out. She said, “This event is truly a community effort. From our generous sponsors to the participants, volunteers, and the support of our local fire and police departments, every single person plays an important role. It’s the coming together of all these groups that makes the WRBTA 5K such a successful event each year. I am happy to share that the race raised $52,000.”

       One of the biggest highlights of race day was the spectacular fun run. With 60 entries and most of them kids, the finish was hectic and simply added to the feeling of positive energy all around. Gusler closed by saying, “There was excitement everywhere! From seeing the kids eager to participate in the fun run to celebrating runners as they finished and received their medals. It was a great day! We heard first-time participants say they were already excited to come back next year. The planning process has begun. I’ve taken notes and feedback from volunteers and participants and am thinking through ideas for next year’s race. It’s really something that stays on my mind year-round, because we’re always looking for ways to make our race better!”

      May has four SRR events and races and all are interesting! First up is the Girls on the Run 5K on May 2^nd. This isn’t in fact a race at all for most participants, but a celebration of the end of the GOTR spring session.

      Next up is the China Grove Challenge on May 8^th, a special Friday evening on Main Street for runners, walkers and residents. There is a Tot Trot run for small kids, a half-mile fun run for older kids and the big event, a 5K dash out and back on Main Street.

      On May 16^th, the Ed Dupree 5K takes place at East Rowan High School. Dupree was a well-known runner, coach, sportswriter and a popular advocate of all things exercise. He inspired me to run across North Caroline during the winter of 2018. The race benefits Hospice and the Ed Dupree Scholarship program.

     And for the final race of a very busy month, May 23^rd is the Chillin’ to the Bare Bones 5K at Overton Elementary School. Proceeds go to Relay for Life.

     Still one more event in May is the Special Olympics Torch Run, this year on Friday May 7^th and open to any runner capable of 12-minute miles on a 5-mile course. This isn’t a race either, but a wonderful celebration that serves as a fundraiser for this program. Cost is $25. Contact Adam Bouk at abouk@salisburync.gov for entry.

    More information on all these events can be found at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

By David Freeze

The real scoop on running and your knees!

   The old adage has been around for years! Here is one of the variations, “Running will ruin your knees!” Not so, according to the latest data available on running’s biggest myth. The medical and physical therapy folks see many more problems from knees that aren’t on a regular exercise program.

     Research consistently shows that running does not cause knee osteoarthritis and that runners are no more likely to develop knee or hip arthritis than non-runners. In fact, in some cases running seems to lower the arthritis development. Running stimulates fluid movement in the knee which helps nourish cartilage and maintains joint function. Harvard Health and the Cleveland Clinic concur on this.  

     In our beginning runners classes, we spend a classroom session on proper running form. Calling the body an engine, I tell the participants that we want to make it function in the smoothest and most efficient way possible. Proper mechanics include posture, arm swing and stride length. Also important is how the foot strikes the ground. For most distance runners, the best foot strike includes a light landing on the heel, then the biggest impact as the whole foot is on the ground. By doing this, the impact will be spread across the whole foot and not too hard on the heel or forefoot. Injuries, including the knee, occur when the foot strike isn’t correct. After the biggest impact comes across the whole foot, then the proper stride concludes with a light liftoff underneath the big toe. Never push your stride to be longer but do concentrate on quicker turnover or cadence if your goal is a faster speed.

      Good shoes are an important factor, and especially the right shoes for your own feet and the running goals you have. If your goal is distance running, don’t buy racing flats or shoes made for sprinters. Never buy cheap box store shoes. I had one pair in my life, and it was my first and last. The more you run, the better you will be able to tell when your shoes are ready to be replaced. One tipoff for me is that the outside of my knees start to ache late in a run. And finally, make sure the shoe fits.

     While running itself is generally safe, knee pain or injury can often result from increasing mileage too quickly. Make your increases less than 10% per week. My only major knee pain has come from increasing too fast and occasionally from running on uneven surfaces. Choose softer surfaces on occasion like trails, grass or cushioned treadmills if you feel knee twinges.

     For most people, running is safe for the knees and may even strengthen joint structures over time. Knee injuries are more often linked to overuse, poor technique or inadequate recovery rather than running itself. By following proper training practices and paying attention to form and footwear, runners can enjoy the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal benefits of running without increasing their chance for knee injury.

    My last tip has become more relevant to me and others who have lots of running miles. As we get older, spend less time sitting for long periods. Those well-used knees do get stiff much quicker as we age. Good luck for healthy knees and happy running!

    Speaking of those running miles, my broken back still seems like a recent thing to me. It happened on May 15, 2024. I saw Jessica Livengood this past Wednesday, she’s one of the angels who made the pieces fall into place for my recovery. Jessica, along with Registered Nurse Erica Martin and back specialist Dr. Eugene Eline, and a boatload of prayers got me back to running. I realized after seeing Jessica that I have 2,750 miles since returning to the roads. I can never say thank you enough to these people and for the many prayers.

    Remember that the burn ban is in place, critical because we are in severe drought here. Make sure it’s lifted before any burning.

    We’ll talk about some great May races next week and the results from the huge WRBTA 5K on Saturday, April 18!  Look for them and more events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org