Off and Running: A Race Near You
by Jacy Johnston
While every sport has a cult following, running has hit its stride in the last few years as a mainstream sport for everyone. Nearly every weekend, one friend or another is running a 5K, training for a half-marathon, or this last month—participating in a turkey trot or watching Shalane Flanagan win the New York Marathon.
Running quotes give a sacrilegious reverence to the activity of traversing a few miles. While at first many scoff, soon they too are hooked. People all over have caught the running bug.
And for good reason: running contains great health benefits for a person physically, emotionally, and mentally. A quick google search will give you enough reasons to persuade a fish to take up jogging on the weekends. There is no required equipment, no skill required, no minimum distance. You can do it alone or with a group, in the morning or evening, inside or outside.
But we all know the health facts, fun races and motivational quotes can only get you so far. At some point, you have to actually put in the work running, which can be a drag. As a long distance runner myself, I can attest to the feelings of dread before a run and exhaustion that follows . There comes that day where you look at your running shoes and think: do I really have to today? Finding a new race to run is always a good way to find motivation. Here are some opportunities:
Are you looking for a 5K to run for fun before Christmas break?
Check out the Jingle Jog in Lincoln on Saturday, December 9 at 10 am. It’s free, festive, and a quick break from studying for finals. Here’s the link: www.bodyinnovate.com/jingle-jog.html

Are you looking to find a Spring Break activity?
Find a race near your hometown! Races are typically held on Saturday mornings, and happen nearly everywhere in the Springtime. Go to http://runningintheusa.com/ to find races all over the country in every distance.
Want to up your game as a runner next semester?
Start training now for the Lincoln Half and Full Marathon on Sunday, May 6. This is one of the biggest, most exciting races in Lincoln. For added motivation, it ends in Memorial Stadium. Registration for the event begins on January 6th at www.lincolnmarathon.org.
