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Guest Authored by Phoebe Lay - LHR 2018 Campus Outreach Coordinator
As college students, no matter where we are on our journey through UT, we tend to accumulate a lot of fear. I mean, who can blame us? In our first year of college, we experienced a foreign yet exhilarating sense of freedom, and for most of us, that first taste of independence can be quite scary at times. Even as we continue into our second year, third, fourth, and on, more fears plague us - the fear of failure, the fear of complacency, the fear of change. Am I in the right major? Am I going to have to Q-drop this class? Do I have a solid group of friends? Am I managing my time right? What the heck am I doing? There's so much that goes on in our college years - the delicate time which we spend striving to find our place in this big, big world. As a second year pre-med student, I am no stranger to the fears that I mentioned above. So I get it, when you see that Longhorn Run table and those people wanting you to register––some fears might creep up to you. "I can't run." "I'm not fit enough to do that." "I've got a million and one other things to do." Although I'm only in my second year here at UT, I've learned that sometimes the best way to deal with those fears is not to run from them, but instead tackle them head on. Instead of letting fear consume you, break it up into small goals, and crush them. In 2017, I would have never considered running anything past my usual 10 minutes on the treadmill. Yet somehow I found myself registering for the 5K and making it a personal challenge of mine. Even though it might've taken literally 40 minutes, I did it. Even though I might've started the race running with a group of friends, stopped, walked, and crossed the finish line by myself––I still did it. We're only four months into “twenty-gr8-teen”, and it's never too late to set new goals, revise your old ones, and push yourself to be the best version of you. Instead of running from your fears, tackle them. Whether that fear be academic or in terms of running longer than you’re used to, go for it! Run, walk, crawl, go slow––do whatever it takes to make this your year. You got it! Guest Authored by Lauren Do
I’ve never considered myself a “runner.” Cardio for fun? It was a no. Getting sweaty, out of breath, and red-faced for no good reason just wasn’t appealing to me. After coming to college, however, I wanted to find a way to stay in shape amidst a sea of midterms and easily accessible junk food. I joined Longhorn Run because I saw what an impact it made on the UT community and how many diverse groups took part in it, and since joining, I’ve met so many inspiringly fit people—people who have run Spartan races, triathlons, and even marathons. Hearing about their accomplishments motivated me to give running a second try. It hadn’t been my favorite thing in the past, but who knew, maybe I’d find my second wind. The first week was definitely the hardest. I’d decided to try and follow the 10K Finish The Race training plan, and to be honest, I could barely run a mile. I was panting and ready to give up after the first few days, but I stuck with the commitment I’d made—and guess who can run 3 miles now? (It’s me!) Sure, it isn’t record breaking or anything, and it’s at an 11-minute pace, but it’s the longest distance I’ve ever run in my life, and I’m proud of that. It’s been a little over a month, and I’m still trying to keep up with the training plan. It’s so satisfying to cross those workouts off the calendar. Sometimes I have to shuffle around which days I run compared to the calendar, but keeping the distance consistent with a physical plan has really helped me to commit to running. I still can’t say running is my favorite thing in the world, but I feel so accomplished when I hit my distance goal. Every run gets easier now, and I’m enjoying it more and more as I switch up the music I listen to and where I run. I’m so happy that Longhorn Run has given me this inspiration, and I can’t wait to see everyone reach their goal when the cross the finish line on race day! I’ll see you all there!  Guest Authored by Kelly Bauman - LHR 2018 On-Course Coordinator
I fell in love with Longhorn Run the first time I ran it in 2016. Not completely knowing what I was getting myself into, I signed up the week of the race and showed up to the start line that Saturday morning, underestimating the race and very much only expecting to get a free banana out of it. As the number of participants grew, I was shocked at the extent of familiar faces I saw; my classmates, professors, former lab partners, and friends from every nook and cranny of my on-campus life were there -- all with a shared goal. The race began, and the UT spirit was tangible from the start. Everywhere I turned, my peers from all different aspects of the UT community were cheering each other on to keep going and to be their best self. As I winded through different areas of campus, I saw my UT home illuminated by incredible people overwhelmed with UT pride. As a runner, I’ve ran many organized races, most of them larger than Longhorn Run, and there is still no comparison to the feeling I experienced on the Longhorn Run course. Longhorn Run brings together every possible niche of the 40 acres and unites us all under the same motivation – to have fun, to achieve goals, and to celebrate the incredible school we are all so lucky to go to. As the On-Course Coordinator for Longhorn Run 2018, it is my privilege to give that feeling of accomplishment, excitement, and pride that I felt after my first Longhorn Run back to the 5,000+ runners who will take on Race Day in April. I am ecstatic to use my position on Longhorn Run Committee to give back to the school and the community that have given so much to me over the past four years. Join me on course this year to see what awesome things my team has been working on for the past few months and to celebrate the absolutely incredible community we are a part of! The Longhorn Run Training Program is a free 10-week-long running program, designed to help you “Finish the Race” or “Finish Fast”. So whether you’re just starting to run or aiming to make this your fastest time, Coach Anthony Ferraro’s plans are here to help you achieve your goals.
Longhorn Run’s running coach, Anthony Ferraro, is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine, Nike, USA Track and Field, and the RRCA. He currently serves as the Strength and Conditioning Coach for Rogue Athletic Club, an Olympic development team in Austin, and has cared for athletes that participated in the 2016 Olympic Games and the 2016 British Steeplechase Championship. You can always follow your own training plan for race day, but here are some of the perks of joining LHR in the training journey.
Download the digital version of the training program straight to Google Calendar, your favorite calendar app, or print the PDF version. Follow us on social to get updates about upcoming Training Events to accompany your training journey! And don’t forget to share your training journey along the way with #WeRunUT. On average, it takes someone 66 days to turn a healthy activity into a habit - 66 days! That means you’re drinking 8 cups of water, running 15 minutes, or hitting the gym every single day for 66 days straight.
Well have you ever attempted to workout, but felt absolutely no motivation to do so? Or maybe you have no idea where to start and the thought of getting active constantly gets pushed aside. Well you’re certainly not alone in those feelings! Sometimes it’s hard to get started or to figure out what works best for you. However, that doesn’t mean you should give up all together. Here are a few tips to make that healthy habit stick and add to your healthy lifestyle in 2018!
If you’re looking for something to work towards, mark your calendar for the Longhorn Run this April 14th. Registration will be open February 1st and a training plan will kickoff soon after! Rather you’re an avid runner or haven’t made it to a mile, you can push yourself with the option of a 5k or 10k. Follow us on social @LonghornRun for updates and inspiration! You’re not the only one who struggles with trying to balance health and happiness over the winter break! There’s a change in your daily routine and sweet treats everywhere. It’s truly the happiest time of year, but that doesn’t mean your healthy lifestyle has to suffer.
We understand this month away from school may include the challenge to reach your daily step count or hold back on the cookies. So we asked some of our Longhorn Run Committee members what their guilty pleasures were and how they try to stay active over break. Feel free to take some of these ideas or begin thinking about how you’ll strike a balance! What is your biggest guilty pleasure over Winter Break? My grandmas apple pie is something I always look forward to. She makes one specifically for me and take it home to eat it all by myself. My mom has candy dishes all over the house that have delicious chocolates or m&ms in them. It’s dangerous... My grandma’s pound cake; it’s super good! Eating a looot of candy! Peppermint bark; I just can't get enough! I love to watch a bunch of TV shows and movies. I recently started Stranger Things! How do you stay healthy over Winter Break? I love getting together with my friends to play basketball, because it’s always good to catch up with them and shoot hoops. I love to take my family dog for walks since I don’t see her very often during the semester. My best friend and I go to the gym together and do these dance fitness classes and the music gets really poppin’. By skiing just about every day! I work at a yoga studio, so I want to keep going to classes. I have a puppy named Benji, he’s honestly a lunatic. (follow him @pupnamedbenji) So I plan on going to the park, and just try to keep up with him.  It’s almost race day Longhorns! We are so excited to see you all at the starting line this Saturday, April 8th. For new and experienced runners alike, it is always helpful to know exactly what to expect on race day so you can fully focus on accomplishing your goals. This blog post will hopefully help calm some pre-race nerves and answer your race day questions! How should I prepare the night before? If this is your first race, there’s a few general tips you should know for night before race day preparation. First, it’s smart to do as much as you can to get ready the night before including setting out everything you’ll need (running outfit, race number, safety pins, ear-phones, etc.) You’ll also want to charge your running watch if you’re planning on wearing one. It’s never fun forgetting something you want on race day or not being able to find your lucky pair of running socks. It can also help to plan out transportation, parking, and carpooling the night before. Finally, get good sleep, drink a lot of water and electrolytes, and don’t forget to set your alarm!  What are the start times? The 10K race is set to begin at 8:00AM followed by the 5K at 8:15AM. Runners must arrive to the starting corral at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the race. Runner’s Tip: It’s always a good idea to wake up an hour before your race to get something in your stomach and make sure you’re fully awake. Get to the starting line as early as you feel comfortable so you can loosen up and stretch. However, don’t head there too early - the nervous energy of standing in the corral can take a toll on your energy levels for your race! What should I eat before Race Day? Every runner is different, so if you know what works best for you, stick to that! If you’ve never run a race before or whatever you tried last time didn’t work for you, UT nutrition major and experienced runner/fitness enthusiast Sydney Benator gives excellent advice for pre-race meal choice: “As a go to, ensure to get plenty of carbohydrates before your run and a combination of carbohydrates and proteins directly after. If you are eating thirty minutes to an hour before your run eat some easy to digest carbohydrates such as a banana, dates, a handful of low sugar cereal, a small granola bar, a mini bagel, etc. Directly before a run it is recommended to avoid eating fats and proteins because it takes longer for our body to digest them.” Where does the race start and end? The race starts just west of 21st. Street and Speedway at The University of Texas at Austin. The race ends at the same location followed by a post-race celebration at the steps of the UT Tower. Runner’s Tip: Don’t sell yourself short when finding a place in the corral. Many runners make the mistake of finding a spot further back than they should be. Be confident in yourself and your training and realistically put yourself in the best position to reach your goals.  Where can I find information about traffic and closures for race weekend? All the latest information on traffic and closures can be found here. Runner’s Tip: Have a parking plan before you go to bed the night before the race so you aren’t trying to figure it out in the morning. Leave a little earlier if you are nervous about parking and traffic. It’s better to calm your nerves and be a few minutes early than show up stressed to the start line. Carpooling is also a good idea! Where can I park on race morning? Here are the self-pay parking garages closest to the start/finish line. Please note that other parking locations may be affected by street closures in the campus area. San Antonio Garage Manor Garage We also encourage you to use ridesharing services in the area to avoid the stress of parking on race day morning. Who do I contact if I have any other questions? We'd love to hear from you, please email us at [email protected] Is there race day packet pickup? We offer race day packet pick up for runners traveling from out of town on race day morning from 6:30-7:30am. The packet pick-up tent will close promptly at 7:30am so plan ahead! Runner’s Tip: Get your packet if you can BEFORE race day! Avoid this added stress the morning of your race by stopping by Gregory Gym for Packet Pick-Up. Packet Pick-Up Schedule April 3-4, 1:00-7:00pm April 5-7, 10:00am-7:00pm  Will there be bag check at the race? The Longhorn Run does not offer bag check at the race. Please only bring items that you can run with. Runner’s Tip: If you have any friends or family coming to cheer you on, you may want to ask if they’ll bring you something dry to change into for the post-race celebration. How do I find out about race changes or updates due to inclement weather? Our team will post any updates or changes on the race website homepage and social media channels (@LonghornRun). Will there be pace groups? Yes! Trained pacers from UT’s Texas Running Club and Texas Triathlon Club will be your pacers on race day to keep you motivated and on track through the finish line. We will offer the following pace groups for both the 5K and 10K: 7:00, 7:30, 8:00, 8:30, 9:00, 9:30, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00. Runner’s Tip: Pace groups can be really helpful for achieving time-based goals. Especially if this is your first race, consider at least starting with a pace group that corresponds with your training and fitness level. While pace groups can be beneficial to some runners, they aren’t for everybody so don’t worry if you find that you like setting your own pace and running alone.  What should I wear on race day? Wear your Longhorn Run 2017 participant tee, your favorite athletic bottoms and running shoes. What can I expect after the race? Post Race celebration is in front of the tower where you’ll find live music, dancing, awards ceremony, and much more! Click here for a list of this year’s awesome sponsors and entertainment: : http://www.utlonghornrun.com/post-race-celebration.html
We are thrilled that so many Longhorns have taken that first step and registered for the Longhorn Run! Some of you might be wondering now, how do I start? You are not alone! Arguably, the hardest part about training is getting started. Here are some tips from our student committee to help you get into your training routine. 1. Check Your Shoes Before you even start running it’s important to make sure your running shoes are in good shape. A common reason runners experience painful shin splints are due to the fact that their running shoes have put in too many mile and aren’t offering enough support anymore. One way to know if it’s time for new shoes is the “Twist Test” – if you can easily twist your running shoe, this is an indication that the mid-sole is worn out and you need new shoes.  2. Tell Your Friends You’re Training Training with friends is one good way to stay motivated but it’s also important to tell your friends and family about your training plans or goals. This will provide you with a much needed support system, and the accountability gained when telling your friends about your training will help you stay motivated. Bring that friend along for our training workouts and keep each other motivated!  3. Follow a Training Plan Some of you might be experienced runners and know how you should train for a 5k or 10k race. However, if you’re like most of us, you might have NO idea where to even start. We have created a comprehensive training plan that you can easily download to your phones and follow. This training plan not only tells you how many miles to run, but includes target paces for different runs and strengthening cross training workouts. You can find this year’s 5K and 10K training plans below: 5K Training Plan(s) 10K Training Plan(s) 4. Be Realistic Setting goals is extremely important and an exciting part of training for a race. However, it is important to stay positive and understand that it will get hard at times. Don’t get down or be too hard on yourself! Your body is doing its best to adjust to your training routine and it can definitely take time. 5. Vary Your Workouts If you follow our Longhorn Run training plan you will be varying your workouts to include important cross-training workouts. This is extremely important for recovery and injury prevention, but another important benefit of varying your workouts is not getting bored or tired of the same thing. Change up your running routes, running partners, and music playlists. Try a yoga class, do a strength training workout with a friend at Clark Field – anything you can do to keep working out interesting and new will make it easier to get out there every day!  6. Eat, Sleep, Stretch, Drink Water We all know that these are important for our health but it’s easy to forget that increasing your daily activity will probably mean needing to get a few extra hours of sleep, stretching more regularly, and eating plenty of food and drinking plenty of water. Listen to your body and fuel it as best you can for the best results.  Happy 2017 Longhorns! The New Year is often a time for looking ahead and setting goals for ourselves. If you're considering a fitness goal for this New Year's resolution, we are here to help you! This blog will offer tips and provide guidance for every level runner. With a focus on topics including nutrition, fitness, and reasons you should be a part of Longhorn Run 2017, this blog will be here to help you cross that finish line! Winter break can be a difficult time to start or stay in shape. Realistically, this should be a time for us, as busy UT students, to relax and take some time off to prepare for the spring semester. Similarly, if you are planning to train for the Longhorn Run, you should take this time over the break to focus on getting some good rest, eating well, and maybe starting some light workouts. To help you get motivated until we all get back to Austin, members of our Longhorn Run Committee have provided their favorite inspirational clip or quote. Enjoy and start setting those Longhorn Run goals! 1. Admiral McRaven's Commencement Address (2014) - Bridget McLaughlin (Director) 2. "Make your workouts fun! Find a workout buddy or try a new type of exercise in order to keep you from getting bored with your workouts this year." - Kari Whitmarsh (Assistant Director)  3. "There's no such thing as bad weather, just soft people." - Bill Bowerman - Brad White (Volunteer Coordinator) 4. Good, better, best. Never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best." - Tim Duncan - Phillip Yoon (Pre-Race Logistics Coordinator) 5. Shia Labeouf "Just Do It" Motivational Speech - Kevin He (Campus Outreach Coordinator) 6. "Believe in yourself and you are halfway there." - Theodore Roosevelt - Sarah Stripling (Post-Race Coordinator - Banana Alley) 7. "The real purpose of running isn't to win a race, it's to test the limits of the human heart." - Bill Bowerman - Trevor Phillips (Public Relations Chair)  8. "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone" - Neale Donald - Zeynep Dikmen (Longhorn Legislative Aide) 9. Miracle Speech - Elyse Ensor (Digital Media Coordinator) After crossing the finish line, join us for post-race and let’s celebrate our accomplishments together at Main Mall! Here’s what to get excited about… POST-RACE SPONSORS
In our VIP AREA, we’ve got:
This year, we’ve introduced a COOLDOWN ZONE featuring St. David’s Health Care, The University of Texas Dell Medical School, Instructor-Led Yoga for Runners, Foam Rolling Demos by RecSports Personal Trainers to help you recover properly after crushing those Ks.
Additionally, post-race will feature DJ Mel, with two emcees: Nike Master Trainer and UT Alumna Flor Beckmann, and Nike Trainer and former UT Football Player Martin Egwuagu. One last thing for that killer photo opp: if you run with the Nike+ Running App during the race, earn access to the Nike+ Finisher’s Photo Experience at Main Mall. Post-race promises to be a great experience. Be sure you’re registered and all prepped for race day here. See you Saturday! |
