Starting line for wellness

Tomorrow, members of the campus community will take part in the “On My Way to 5K” wellness walk/run.

Spring has sprung, and people are getting outside reveling in the sunshine and warm weather. About 140 members of the Bryant community have a little extra incentive to do so as they spent the last few weeks training for Bryant’s “On My Way to 5K” wellness walk/run.

Their preparation will be put to good use tomorrow when the starting gun goes off at 10 a.m. Registration takes place from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Bryant track. The event is sponsored by Healthy YOU at Bryant U – the University’s Healthy Campus Coalition – and is free and open to the Bryant community.

Unlike traditional 5K races, the emphasis is not necessarily on race time or finishing at the head of the pack. The goal is to increase people’s awareness of the importance of regular exercise and living a healthy lifestyle.

“The purpose of this 5K is to promote enjoyment of physical activity so that it becomes part of one’s daily activities,” says Jennifer Diprete, Bryant’s health and wellness coordinator.

Around the first turn

To encourage first-time or inexperienced runners to participate in the event, the Healthy Campus Coalition created a mentor program, which paired 13 people with experienced runners on campus.

One of the running novices, Jessica Perreault ’09 (Grand Rapids, MI), started jogging around the neighborhood with her dog last summer. She decided that the 5K would be good motivation to help her work toward her goal of running longer races and a marathon in the future.

She spent the last few weeks working with Bryant Center Director Rich Dankel. Every Thursday morning they would run the track or on campus and talk about strategies.

“From telling me to keep my hands loose to creating a running schedule, Rich has helped me work to achieve my goals,” says Perreault. “Without his guidance, I would not be ready for the 5K.”

In between the daily obligations of academics, co-curricular activities, and other commitments, Perreault says it can be difficult for students to make time for exercise. While it is important for students to take the initiative, the support of the University can go a long way, she says.

“The more opportunities that Bryant offers to help and encourage healthy living, the more likely we are to live a well-balanced life,” says Perreault.

Dankel thought the 5K was a great idea and says he was happy to share tips from 32 years of running. “Since I have some experience, I wanted to share my knowledge and help people reach their goal of maintaining a healthier lifestyle,” he says.

Down the back stretch

Lisa Fontes, assistant director of purchasing, says one of her goals in recent years has been to run a 5K. The support of her mentor, Women’s Center Director Toby Simon, will help her accomplish this goal on Saturday. The two started working together about six weeks ago, and Simon has given her tips on breathing, running stride, and setting a pace.

“Just having Toby encourage me by saying ‘just one more lap, you can do it, you are doing great’ was great motivation,” says Fontes.

Alicia Haelen ’09 (Middletown, NY), a member of the Healthy YOU at Bryant U and a 5K participant, says regular exercise helps her stay more attentive in class, sleep soundly, and feel good about herself. Maintaining healthy habits is especially important for the applied math and statistics major, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2007.

“I have always been active and healthy,” she says. After my diagnosis, however, I became vigilant about how I treat my body, what I eat, and how often I exercise,” she says. Her MS has not progressed in two years, and Haelen attributes this to her active lifestyle.

Programs at the college level help students establish healthy routines that they can continue throughout their lives, says Haelen. “It is extremely important to have these resources available that encourage students to be healthy,” she says.

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Learn more about Bryant's "On My Way to 5K" or the University's Healthy YOU at Bryant U campus initiative.