LAURA GOULD/Charleston Catholic
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Hit the road
By Cat Higgins
Charleston Catholic High School
Since as early as about 3800 B.C., the human race has been fascinated with the sport of running. Many competitions have been created over the years to test every area of a runner’s capabilities — his speed, his endurance, even his brain.
One of the many forms of these competitions is the 5K road race, which is becoming more popular among teen athletes. While courses vary greatly, one factor remains the same: it’s 3.1 miles of pavement from start to finish. This can pose a threat of injury to runners who have not prepared themselves for it.
“Road races are just that — races on the road. They’re on a paved surface, which is different from the rubber surface of a track or the dirt surface of a cross country course. You run the risk of developing shin splints or other injuries,” said Charleston Catholic cross country and track Coach Scott Welch, who does not allow runners to enter road races during the season.
Most of his runners understand his reasoning.
“Road races are very taxing on a runner’s body and often require a day of recovery after and a day of rest before. This most often does not coincide with the training schedule Mr. Welch has set up,” senior Robbie Sherrard explained.
When asked if he has ever experienced injury from a 5K road race, Sherrard replied, “Nope. I’m a regular Stretch Armstrong — except I don’t ooze transparent goo when you pull my arms too far.”
Along with the possible risk of injury, abstaining from 5K races is also a matter of respect for your team. “When you enter a road race, you’re putting your own interest in yourself over the team, and that’s a problem,” Welch said.
While road races are forbidden during track season, they are encouraged during the off-season because they help runners stay in shape. And who knows? If you enjoy competition, pushing yourself, running, being out of breath and free bananas, then the 5K might even prove to be a positive experience.
Many different people from all over will enter a 5K road race. The ages often range from young teenagers to senior citizens, so, naturally, there are runners of many varying speeds. Don’t get discouraged if you get beaten by someone much older than you. Chances are that he or she’s been running a lot longer than you have.
If you get discouraged, you might adopt the philosophy of Robbie Sherrard — “If you can’t beat them, try anyway.”
For information on road races in the Charleston area, visit www.iplayoutside.com.
