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Women Can Run clinic marks 10th anniversary when it begins Monday |
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Saturday, 24 February 2007 |
Joy Ballard, administrative assistant to Saline County Judge Lanny Fite, believes in running and walking for good health.
 Joy Ballard, administrative assistant to Saline County Judge Lanny Fite, promotes a local ?Women Can Run? clinic that begins at 5:30 p.m. Monday on Border Street adjacent to Benton High School. Ballard holds a T-shirt from a previous clinic.
The program will begin Monday and will continue for 10 weeks.
The group will assemble from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays on Border Street beside Benton High School, Ballard said.
“The training clinic is for beginners as well as intermediate and advanced runners,” she explained.
“It will culminate with a 5K run-walk graduate event on May 12 in Conway. By the end of the training clinic, each participant will be able to run or walk a 5K (3.1 miles).”
She said simultaneous clinics will be held in Arkadelphia, Beebe, Bryant, Cabot, Conway, Fairfield Bay, Farmington, Greenbrier, Harrison, Heber Springs, Hot Springs, Hot Springs Village, Jonesboro, Little Rock, Maumelle, Mountain Home, Paris, Sherwood, Springdale and Vilonia.
She noted that many U.S. women are at risk for heart attack or stroke.
“Women need to make time for their health,” she said.
“Women are always doing something for others, but they need to take 45 minutes a day and do something that benefits their health.
“We always think we just don’t have time for exercise, but if we don’t take time, our health will begin to suffer.”
General guidelines are to get women and doctors to focus on the long-term risk of high blood pressure, smoking, lack of exercise or being overweight, even if a woman’s current health seems fine.
“Even a single risk factor at age 50 greatly raises the chance of heart disease or stroke later, and only about 1 percent of American women are free of these problems.”
The solution?
According to Ballard, there is no better way than a walk-run program for improving overall health.
“It helps prevent diabetes, helps lower cholesterol, it’s easy to do and is a great sport.
“It takes very little preparation to run,” Ballard noted. “All you have to do is put on your shoes and walk out the door.”
A competitive runner for 14 years, Ballard no longer competes but runs now strictly for health reasons.
There is no charge for the local clinic training, she said, but there is a $20 fee for the 5K graduation event, which is the goal of clinic participants.
“The $20 fee covers the entry for the 5K and also includes a T-shirt and other goodies,” Ballard said.
She pointed out that the fee is used to help cover the expense of the clinics and the 5K event. In addition, a portion of every fee is donated to the Arkansas Heart Association.
Assisting Ballard with the local clinic are Rebecca Dawson, Stefanie Ballard and Vanessa Nichols.
All clinic directors and leaders volunteer their time for the 10-week training period, she said.
Women may preregister for the clinic at www.arkansasrunner.com, NEWS, Women Can Run Registration, then click on Benton.
Ballard noted that the Women Run Arkansas Running/Walking Club is an RRCA (Road Runners Club of America) organization and is dedicated to promoting healthy living among women through running and walking activities.
Ballard may be contacted at 776-2529. |
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