Make the Bellin Run your first road race

April 22, 2011

The decision to participate in your first-ever road race doesn’t have to be the subject of great consternation – not with the Bellin Run as your first choice.

The 35th annual Bellin Run is scheduled for 8 a.m. Saturday, June 11. The 10K (6.2-mile) run/walk winds through the city of Green Bay and the village of Allouez.

The event traditionally welcomes participants of all skill levels – world-class competitors as well as recreational runners, wheelchair racers and walkers. It’s the perfect race for first-timers. Case in point, out of the record 18,398 Bellin Run registrants last year, nearly 7,000 were first-time participants.

And although last year’s race drew a record number of registrants, it’s still very much considered a neighborhood race. After all, more than 90 percent of its participants come from within a one hour drive of the greater Green Bay area.

At 6.2 miles, the Bellin Run isn’t short, but it isn’t forebodingly long, either. With a little training, you’ll be ready to complete the Bellin Run.

The Bellin Run offers a free training program to assist newbies and veterans alike. The Run a Better Bellin program draws runners and walkers of all experience levels. Participants gather every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. (rain or shine) at Bellin Health’s Green Bay Health & Athletic Performance Center, 1630 Commanche Ave., to train for the run/walk. Participants can attend as many or as few classes as they like. The training runs/walks start at 1 mile, eventually building up to 6 miles by race week. Classes draw anywhere from 40-100 participants each week.

The key for first-timers is to simply give the Bellin Run a try. Participate and finish the race. Once you finish, you’ll establish a finishing time to work toward beating when you sign up in subsequent years.

The Bellin Run is about participants taking steps toward a healthier, more active lifestyle. It’s about getting you to dedicate yourself to training for the event and starting you on the path to better overall health and fitness.

First-timers contemplating their first road race can feel confident the Bellin Run will be a great first experience. Put in some training time and prepare for the run. Once you join the field of runners, walkers and wheelchair participants on race day and the thrill of the crowd washes over you, you’ll know that you made the right decision.

Welcome to your first road race.