Tag: Outdoor Adventure Challenge

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I’m too out of shape to run. I’ll start after I lose some weight…

Sound familiar?

Mike Leavitt (bib #113 in photo) felt this way for quite some time. He was an athlete in his younger days but work, family and life in general had taken its toll.

At 38 years of age, he felt scared and disgusted at how out of shape he was. And when a friend suggested joining a running program, he thought it was out of the question.

“I’ve never been a runner per se. With flat feet, bad knees and a larger frame, I’m not really built for speed. In addition, my energy level was really low. I wasn’t motivated at all. Never thought I could do it!” he says.

From couch to 5k…you can do it!

Can’t run 3.1 miles?

Cory Frederick couldn’t run that far either at this time last year, but thanks to what is called the “Couch-to-5K” program, he was able to go the distance at the Diakon Wilderness Center’s 2014 Outdoor Adventure Challenge.

As a member of the event’s planning committee and a huge fan of the Diakon Wilderness Center’s mission to help at-risk youths, I wanted to use my experience as a personal trainer/gym owner/runner to draw more people to the 5K, but also to help others simply gain the benefits of exercise. To that end, I offer some helpful tips below.