Volunteer Events to Get You Active

Now that the weather is warming up, you may be thinking about getting outside and setting some goals around healthy living.  A great way to get in shape and to make a difference is to participate in events like a 5K, bike ride or dragon boat race.  This week we are sharing some information on how to get ready and listing a few organizations that offer these types of events around the country.

5K Runs

Running a 5K is an excellent choice for new runners. You’ll get tons of satisfaction and see results by participating in this event, and 5K (3.1 miles) is the perfect distance for first-timers.

A few places to help you get started are:

• Couch to 5K – This program seems to be one of the most popular for folks that are just getting started.  They put together a simple training program and offer a mobile app that makes it even more convenient.
• 5K run: 7-week training schedule for beginners – Everybody trusts the Mayo Clinic, so why not trust their running program? This 5K run training schedule was created by Olympian Jeff Galloway. It’s tailored for beginners or anyone who wants to complete a 5K race.

Popular 5K Events:

• Great Strides– This event supports the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
• The Color Run – The Color Run partners with charities to help shine a light on their amazing work within society and highlight the causes they stand for.  These events happen all across the US.

Bike Events

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Whether on the road or in the mountains, don’t ever think that just showing up is going to be enough. Preparing both mentally and physically will help you to have a successful day of racing. Also, please make sure that you have the correct type of race for the event you choose.

A few places to help you get started:

• Active.com – They offer a great set of articles on the Bike Racing Basics page.  You can also find events near you.
• Livestrong.com – This website is chock full of all kinds of useful information.  Here you can learn How to Prepare for a First Bike Race.

Popular Bike Events:

• Philly Bike-a-Thon – This event is put on by the American Cancer Society and is one of many bike-a-thons offered around the country by this organization.
• Bike MS – Bike MS is a series of 100 extraordinary cycling events across the county.

If you are interested in biking, hiking, running or a triathlon and events that offer you training, a favorite is Team in Training offered by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  They not only offer training, but travel to great destination, an opportunity to meet your goals and a connection with an honored patient so that you know just who you are doing this for.

If you have events that you love, please post them at www.GiveGab.com or contact Tonyehn@GiveGab.com.