By Pyc Fitness
©2004-2008
Dozens of fans cheered wildly for their family and friends sprinting toward the finish line Saturday morning at the fitness festival runs.
It was a beautiful day for the more than 400 runners participating in the 5K and 10K races at the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Fitness Festival.
"It was a great race, and the weather couldn't have been better," Brian Gibson of Springfield said as he was getting a free post-race massage.
Gibson, who races almost every weekend, said the 10K course was challenging. "It was grueling toward the end, but I survived."
The event also drew veteran racers Annette Blanton and Cheryl Hicks from Arkansas.
"We wanted to combine a shopping trip with a race, so we did our marathon shopping in Branson yesterday and came here to run the 10K today," Blanton said with a laugh.
But the training partners are serious runners, racing at least once a week during fall and spring. And it's not uncommon for them to travel long distances to get to races. Blanton recently ran the Chicago Marathon and the pair is gearing up for the St. Jude Memphis Marathon next month.
Oh Baby
"This was a lot of fun for us, but this was a training run," Blanton said.
Both were impressed with the organization of the event. "This is one of the best races we've been to," Blanton said as she enjoyed a breakfast of biscuits and gravy after the run. "The only time you can eat biscuits and gravy and not feel guilty is after a 10K."
Blanton said the food and drinks provided post-race and the health and fitness expo made the event that much better. "This has been awesome. This is going to be an annual event for us from now on — and we'll bring more people with us next year."
Although the races hosted several experienced runners, they also saw a number of newcomers.
First-timer Joe Breedlove of Springfield said he did better than he expected to in the 5K run. Breedlove, who recently returned from duty in Iraq, said running has taught him the value of a healthy lifestyle.
"Being in Iraq has made me realize how important it is to be healthy and fit," he said.
He enjoyed Saturday's 5K race but has his sights set on running the marathon next year.
Others have already spent time training for this year's 26.2-mile run.
Some of Saturday's runners used the shorter runs to prepare for today's Bass Pro Shops Springfield Marathon. Jim Evans of Republic, who has been racing for 30-plus years and logged more than 30,000 miles, said he used the 5K as a warmup for the marathon.
"I felt good today and I'm excited about tomorrow," he said Saturday. "I have friends that are racing, so it should be fun."
Benson Chesang of Kenya, who ran the 5K with his Duma Runners Club teammates, said it was a good time. "I live in Kansas, but I just came down to run today," he said. "It was a fun event."
His teammate William Serem, also of Kenya, ran the 10K in just over 31 minutes.
After the run, people spent time browsing booths at the Fitness and Health Fair. "It's been a lot of fun and it's given us exposure to racers and non-racers," said Lea Baxter of the Wellness Concepts Clinic. "Springfield needs more education on the holistic approach to wellness."
Baxter said the weekend's Outdoor Fitness Festival gives people an insight into what the outdoors offers. "Springfield has a lot of wonderful outdoor opportunities," she said. "We need to get our families outside."
Part of the festival did just that. The Springfield/Greene County Park Board hosted outdoor adventure clinics Saturday at the new Lake Springfield Park Boathouse and Marina. Families could take part in camping, canoeing, Dutch oven cooking and fishing adventures.
Meanwhile, others spent time indoors at the Animal Champion Camp at Wonders of Wildlife. During a guided tour of the museum, kids got to learn about a number of animals and even got to know a few. Ellen Eisenhower, 12, of Springfield wasn't sure how to react to Tippy, a three-toed box turtle at least 50 years old. "It wasn't slimy, but it was hard," she said.
Eisenhower said her favorite part of the camp was seeing the baby otters. "They were really cute."
There was also a Big Brothers Big Sisters Kid's Fun Run Saturday afternoon. The morning runners could be found hanging around the festival well into the latter part of the day. Sunday's marathoners and half-marathoners enjoyed a pre-race pasta party at Bass Pro Saturday night.
Breedlove said, "I think it's a great community event. It gets people out there and you get to meet some friends and maybe get to know yourself a little bit better."
First-time racer Jason Purcell of Republic can finally say he's run a 5K. "It's something I wanted to do so I could say I've done it. It's something to cross off on your life checklist."
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