RunHers to host free safety forum
Here’s information about the free women’s safety forum at 10 a.m. Saturday at Redline Jiu Jitsu, 745 Enterprise Drive, Suite 190, in Edmond.
The Oklahoma City Metro area has encountered a recent outbreak of attacks on women runners. Reports of stalking have increased alarmingly as well. runhers is partnering with Jennifer Gray; a women’s safety and self-defense expert to hold at free one hour forum at Redline Jiu Jtsu in Edmond on Saturday Morning. The forum is limited to the first 100 women. Women can join the event though the runhers Facebook site.
runhers Director of Special Projects Sheila Kidder states, “This is a very serious issue. We get calls from the local media and reports all the time of women out training, getting harassed, verbally abused and even stalked, not only while running, but out on daily activities as well. Our forum allows women to be aware of what to look for, along with tips for how to get away in case the unspeakable does occur. We help them develop their own personal protection plan – based on how much risk they think they are exposed to.”
Jennifer Gray with Redline says, “We want women empowered. We want them to be able to quickly assess if there may be a threat – and what to do all the way through the encounter; even with a physical encounter, God forbid that should happen. Knowledge is everything and this will be a great forum to answer the many safety questions women have.”
runhers has posted a more detailed article on women’s safety at http://runhers.com/2012/07/personal-safety-%e2%80%93-are-you-prepared/
About runhers® women’s association
runhers is a dynamic and creative women’s lifestyle organization. runhers is built on the belief that women must move to live a healthy, balanced lifestyle. We produce lifestyle programs, trainings, creative forums, entertainment & amazing events. If you can imagine a better you, we can help you create it. To engage more, please visit us at www.runhers.com or facebook.com/runhers – twitter @runhers – email info@runhers.com
The difficulty of choosing a race
So I know I want to run a race in December-ish. This is all I know.
Choosing a race is so difficult.
For me, the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon is a built-in goal. Everybody around town who runs is usually running at it. A bunch of non-runners are volunteering for it. It’s for an important cause. It’s an easy pick to say the least.
But now that I’d like to do a mid-year half-marathon, I’m feeling a little intimidated. The Williams Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa would be a great fit, but I don’t know for sure yet if I’ll be ready that weekend (Nov. 17-18). So I either amp up my training or I start with a blank slate. Darn it. I guess I’ll spend more time looking than actually training this week.
Why is this so hard?
Is this a good running song?
I say yes!
All these kids can beat me
I’m going to be honest: this is a race I would lose. For real. By a lot. Nevertheless, if your child is interested, here’s a really awesome opportunity coming up next month:
The Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Department is looking for a few great kids! Seventy-five kids, in fact, who want to test their mettle in the Department’s inaugural Kidathlon on Saturday, August 4, from 7 – 11 a.m. at Earlywine Park, 3101 SW 119. The half-day event, which includes swimming, biking and running, is open to children aged 5 -17.
Participants will be grouped by age, with each age group competing at different distances.
“We’ve been looking at new events to integrate into our roster of activities,” said Christopher Hamilton, recreation division manager for the Parks and Recreation Department. “The Kidathlon gives children of all athletic abilities the opportunity to take part in their own triathlon and learn the basics of multi-sport competition.”
The warm-up for the Kidathlon begins at 7 a.m. on August 4, with the first age group kicking off competition at 7:30 a.m.
The age groups and event distances are as follows:
- Ages 5-6 25 yard swim, 0.5 bike, 0.5 run
- Ages 7-8 75 yard swim, 0.5 mile bike, 0.5 mile run
- Ages 9-12 75 yard swim, 1.0 mile bike, 1.1 mile run
- Ages 13-14 125 yard swim, 2.0 mile bike, 1.5 mile run
- Ages 15-17 125 yard swim, 3.0 mile bike, 1.5 mile run
The swimming portion of the Kidathlon will take place at the Earlywine Family Aquatic Center. The biking and running portions of the event will take place within the confines of Earlywine Park. Participants must bring their own equipment, including swim wear, bicycle and helmet, and running gear. Helmets and close-toed shoes are required for the bicycle portion of the event.
Pre-registration is required. Registration costs $30 for each participant and includes a t-shirt.
Those interested can register at Earlywine or Will Rogers Family Aquatic Centers, or by calling 297-2211. An online registration form can be downloaded at www.okc.gov/parks/kidathlon.
For the inaugural year, registration is limited to the first 75 participants.
For more information, call the OKC Parks & Recreation Department at 297-2211.
Workout of doom
Turns out, working out while ill is a horrible plan.
My pal encouraged me to join her for some butt-kicking cross training. Our soccer team has been taking a break, so I’ve been looking for something entertaining. I was excited to try this mysterious, gut-busting ordeal. It was intense – donkey kicks, burpees and lots of other jumping-around-things that I don’t know the names of.
Until about halfway through the first set when I took a break. As I caught my breath and cooled off, I realized my face was flushing hot. Like, super hot. I had to sit down. That’s when it hit me.
“Please don’t throw up in this gym. Please don’t throw up in this gym.”
Megan walked me into the bathroom.
“Please don’t pass out in this gym. Please don’t pass out in this gym.”
The good news: I didn’t pass out. The bad news: I did get sick.
I’ve surmised that I had a stomach bug that my daughter broguht home from school. Awesome. But getting up early, I didn’t give myself a chance to figure out if I felt good or not. Lesson learned.
As I was sitting on the bathroom floor, begging myself not to faint in front of my running buddy, she told me that probably the gym bathrooms were probably the cleanest of all the bathrooms in our office.
That’s what friends are for, people.
Stumbling into a group run
Tuesday morning I missed my training run.
Just rolled over and slept right through it.
All day I beat myself up.
“It’s only week two and you’re already skipping runs?”
I kept staring at the 20 week training calendar I’ve created in Google Docs and wishing I could make the little square aqua green indicating I’d done my 3 mile easy run for the day.
So I enlisted help.
When I got home from work my husband was ready to run. We packed up the dog and headed down to the OKC river trails to do a quick 3 miles out and back from the boat houses to Walker Ave.
It wasn’t too hot. The run seemed to fly by and when we were walking back to our car we passed a joyous group of runners who were having a pot luck.
Beer was forced into our hands, cookies, watermelon and an amazing upside-down German chocolate cake. We met fellow runners, talked about training, sports, dogs and Oklahoma City. We sat and watched the evening rowing teams come in off the river.
Turns out this informal club meets every Tuesday night under the bridge between the two boat houses for a group run and a potluck after work. We were encouraged to come back. Not a hard sell. It actually fits perfectly into my spring training schedule that I’ve just begun to get ready for the half marathon in Tulsa in November.
It was perhaps the most fortuitous missed workout ever!
Next time I’ll know to bring snacks to share and that I can sleep in on Tuesdays without a twinge of guilt.
For more information about the group check out: http://riversportokc.org/run-cycle/novice
