5K races are a great entry into the world of running races. If you can run/jog/walk a mile right now, you can do a 5K tomorrow. It may not be much fun and you might hurt for a few days, but you could do it. So if you have never done a 5K or you are looking for a totally new race, you have to check out the Rocket Run 5K at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center on November 24th at 8:00am.

Location, Location, Location

The 5K course is on the grounds of the Space and Rocket Center, Space Camp, and Aviation Challenge. How cool is that? Back in my day we had to shuffle from exhibit to exhibit in packs of stinky and sticky elementary students.

Ah, you gotta love field trips… Now you kids can just whisk through the whole place as fast as your legs can carry you.

One of the sweetest parts of this whole race is the finish line being under the Pathfinder Shuttle. That is going to be tough for any other race course to duplicate. Go here to register for the Rocket Run 5K

Race Details

A few more important details. All runners get free admission to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center the day of the race. You need to have your race bib to get in for free and there is a separate charge for IMAX and digital movies.

You have 2 options to pick up your race packets:

• Friday, November 23th from 3:00-6:00pm at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center gift shop
• Saturday, November 24th (the morning of the race) from 6:30-7:30am.

You’ll need a picture ID to get your packet, and you cannot pick up a packet for anyone else. Strollers and walkers are welcome in this race.

Since family and friends are encouraged to come and cheer you on, why not make a day out of it and go through the exhibits afterwards?

Winter Training

On a fairly related note, what about training during the winter months? For most people there is no in between, when it comes to exercising in cold weather. It’s either hard core, run in any weather type or the if it is below 50 degrees I am indoors type.

Outdoor Folks

If you are an exercising in any weather type, you know that layers are the key. You obviously want to protect your head and your extremities (hat and gloves are must), but you want to be able to peel off layers as you heat up. Your first layer should be something light weight that wicks moisture away from your body, a good second layer is a fleece, and the outer layer should be something lighter and water proof that protects you from wind, rain, and snow.

One thing you want to avoid is heavy cotton that holds in the sweat and can make you colder. The best thing you can do before you head out though is make create toasty pants. Throw your clothes in the dryer for 10-15 minutes before you start exercising. The warm clothes will give you a jump start on warming your core muscles up.

Toasty pants, just trust me.

Indoor Folks

If you are going to exercise indoors, this is a great time to switch it up. If you are a runner, try other cardio options:

• Hop on a bike
• Stair-master
• Rower
• Go swimming

Just try something new and work on different muscle groups. This is also a great time to build up your strength with some resistance training.

Having a stronger body and trying different things will make you a more efficient, faster runner as well as helping you avoid overuse injuries. If you do have any injuries, I highly recommend the Alter G treadmill at Mandeville Physical Therapy and Wellness. It is an antigravity treadmill that “unloads” your joints so you can still run even if you have injuries. They will even let you try it out for free to see what you think about it. Call 256.270.9922 or check the link above for more info.

Event Details

Date: Saturday, November 24th
Time: 8:00am
Location: U.S. Space and Rocket Center
Register: Advanced registration required. Click here to register online

Running shoes photo credit: Flickr user puuikibeach