The University of Dayton Campus Recreation Department is hosting its first Pump and Run 5K to encourage students to get fit through both cardiovascular exercise and strength training.
The run on Oct. 26, is organized by UD personal trainers to raise awareness of their personal training program and give students an opportunity to do something physically active and different from other 5K runs, according to event organizer Kurt Pedersen.
He said that the concept behind the Pump and Run 5K is to promote overall fitness, not solely cardio or strength, but a balance of the two. Runners will perform lifts and either squat or bench press prior to running the 5K, Pedersen said. For every repetition that the participant performs during the lifting portion, they will receive a deduction from their 5K time, he said. Pedersen said the deduction is based off the percentage of the participant’s body weight that is lifted and the number of repetitions completed.
“For example, if a male runner bench presses 90 percent of his body weight, he receives a 25 second deduction for every repetition he pumps out and if a female squats 60 percent of her body weight she will receive a 15 second reduction for each rep completed,” Pedersen said. Participants aren’t required to perform the lifts before running but those who do will have an advantage due to the time reduction. All runners can choose what weight they want to lift and the total time reduction will be calculated upon completion, Pedersen said.
Every participant will get a dri-fit T-shirt for running and be entered into a drawing for prizes, including group fitness passes, free fitness assessments and a four session personal training package. The event is priced at $12 per runner to encourage participation, Pedersen said.
According to Pedersen, the event will be located on Stuart Field, because it is a convenient location for students in the heart of campus.
Since it is the first year for the event, planning and organizing has required a lot of time and effort, but the personal trainers are excited for it to launch and hopefully become a popular annual event, Pedersen said.
Katie McCorkle, another event coordinator, said that 5Ks are great because cardiovascular endurance is such a fundamental part of health and wellness, but that this event is unique because it incorporates strength training, which is just as important. Campus Recreation’s hope is that students will find the Pump and Run to be a fun way to engage in physical activity as well as test their strength and endurance, McCorkle said.
Students can register at the Campus Recreation welcome desk or main office at the RecPlex no later than Oct. 22. For more information, contact Campus Recreation at UDPersonalTraining@gmail.com.
