WVU Hospitals-East offers Runner’s Challenge Program
(Martinsburg, W.Va.) — Have you ever wanted to run a marathon? A half marathon, 10k or 5k? There are several highly rated races held in the Eastern Panhandle including the Apple Trample 5k and Freedom’s Run, which are sponsored by West Virginia University Hospitals-East and the WVU School of Medicine Eastern Division.
If you are interested in running one of these races but don’t know how to train, The Wellness Center at City Hospital is offering a Runner’s Challenge Program to help you reach your goals.
An informational meeting will be held Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 6:00 pm in the auditorium of the WVU Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center on the campus of City Hospital. Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, nationally ranked distance runner, local physician and founder and organizer of the Freedom’s Run, will be the featured speaker.
Whether your goal is to run, walk, set a personal record or just finish, we will help you reach your goal. The program will include monthly meetings to offer support and guidance from highly qualified fitness and health professionals. Presentations will be give by experienced runners, physicians, physical therapists, fitness instructors, dietitians and yoga instructors on topics ranging from training programs, injury prevention, nutrition and meditation.
All those who sign up will be provided with training programs, information on local group runs and a free t-shirt to proudly wear while training. Also learn how you can raise money for a cause of your choice through participation.
FREEDOM’S RUN….The goal of the Freedom’s Run (www.Freedomsrun.org) is to bring awareness of the health needs of the citizens in our area and in the process discovering the rich history of the area….a Race for Health and Heritage. The first Freedom’s Run was held in October 2009 with over 1600 runners participating in events from a 1-mile kids run, 5k, 10k, half marathon to a full 26-mile marathon. Freedom’s Run has been named a Road Runners of America State Marathon Championship and is set for October 2, 2010. The goal of the RRCA Championship Events is to shine a spotlight on well-run events and to award top performing runners in the open, masters and grand masters categories for both men and women. Since 1958, the RRCA has awarded championship events through a competitive bidding process at the national, regional, and state level to RRCA member clubs and events to promote the sport of distance running.
APPLE TRAMPLE…The Apple Trample is a 5k road race that is part of the Apple Harvest Festival, held in October in Martinsburg, WV. Last year 300 runners participated in the Apple Trample. The race is sponsored and run by The Wellness Center at City Hospital and WVUH-East.