Volunteers around the state are once again gearing up to teach Women Run Arkansas' annual series of free fitness clinics.
Offering graduated programs in walking, walking to run, run-walking, running, and in some places, running faster, "the clinics" will be available in 36 communities, from Alma to Yellville. The program promises to help participants develop the fitness required to finish a 5K -- 3.1 miles.
"There are 39 clinics, counting two at Bella Vista," says statewide coordinator Linda Starr.
In central Arkansas, volunteer directors plan a group in Hillcrest as well as the original group at J.A. Fair High School in western Little Rock and there will be clinics at North Little Rock High School's East Campus and in Maumelle at Lake Willastein.
Each clinic's director sets the meeting times and finds a place for the group workouts and rules differ from group to group: Some limit participation to women and girls; some admit men; some actively recruit men. But in general, participants are expected to commit to attend two one-hour group workouts every week for 10 weeks and to exercise again on their own at least once every week.
Training is free, but everyone is urged to register in advance using the website womenrunarkansas.net and while there to sign up for the Women Can Run/Walk 5K in Conway on May 9. The 5K entry fee is $25.
The 5K gives the clinic participants a goal. Race weekend includes a pasta party with slides and stories from the clinics. The party will be held May 8 at First Methodist Church in Conway. Beth Shluger, events coordinator for the Hartford Marathon Foundation of Vermont, will speak.
The clinics' official start date is March 1, Starr says, but groups that will hold workouts on Saturdays could begin meeting Feb. 28.
These clinic leaders have announced pre-workshop "kickoff" meetings at which people can register in person:
• Alma: 6:15 p.m. Feb. 23 at Stepping Stone School, 1036 U.S. 64 East.
• Bella Vista: 2 to 4 p.m. Feb. 23, Village Insurance community room, 2838 Bella Vista Way, across the street from Sugar Creek Cinema.
• Conway: noon Feb. 28, expo and kickoff meeting, Four Winds Church, 2005 Dave Ward Drive.
m Fort Smith: 5:30 p.m. Feb. 26, Riverfront Glass Pavilion, 100 N. B St.
• Kirby: 5:30 p.m. Feb. 24, Kirby High School, 2614 Arkansas 27, Amity.
• Russellville: 9:30 a.m. Saturday, West Side Church of Christ, 2300 W. C St.
• Little Rock, J.A. Fair: 6:15-7:30 p.m. today, Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church, 4823 Woodlawn Drive.
• Little Rock, Hillcrest: 5:30 p.m. Feb. 23, location to be announced.
• Benton/Bryant: 6 p.m. Feb. 26, Benton Civitan Services, 121 Cox St., Benton.
• Wynne: 6 p.m. Feb. 24, Bill Thomas Tech Center, 17920 Falls Blvd.
• Searcy: 5-6:30 p.m. Feb. 23, Searcy Athletic Club, 954 Skyline Drive.
The statewide running club, an affiliate of the Road Runners Clubs of America, has a new registration interface at womenrunarkansas.net.
"Each clinic's registration will be customized to their clinic and the participant will get everything they need in their confirmation, such as dates, time, days and place to meet plus contact information for the directors and what groups they will have," Starr says. "For example, some of the clinics don't offer advanced groups, some only have walking groups, etc.
"It will actually save the directors time and cut down on the number of questions, emails and phone calls they will receive. It will also give them the opportunity to get reports of who and how many in each of their different groups, not to mention many more opportunities to fine-tune their clinic."
ActiveStyle on 02/16/2015