Running often helps relieve everyday stress and can ease your mind, whether recreationally or competitively.
For running enthusiasts and those who enjoy being outdoors, The Faith Build Coalition of Southeast Ohio’s Habitat for Humanity will be hosting a Fall 5k Fun Run in The Plains on Saturday.
The race is scheduled to begin at the Eclipse Company Store, 11309 Jackson Drive, and will officially start at 10 a.m.
Interested runners, joggers and sprinters can sign up to register before the run begins through Habitat for Humanity’s website. Registration is $25 for people over the age of 14, and is only $10 for people aged 13 or younger.
However, for those interested in registering in-person, runners have the option to register beginning at 9 a.m. before the start of the race.
Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio, alongside The Faith Build Coalition, is hosting the race and has served several local counties in the area including Hocking, Perry, Noble and Morgan counties.
It serves as the largest nonprofit home-building organization and has a mission of transforming the lives of Southeast Ohio residents by providing for families in need and advocating for affordable housing.
George Bain, Fall Run co-organizer, has been volunteering with Habitat for Humanity since 1999 and has been a co-organizer of the race since 2016. Bain said with local sponsors from the community, the organization has been able to build homes.
“The primary function is to raise money to sponsor house builds,” Bain said. “There's other funds that come into funding a house build but each one has a sponsor. So, it's a way to raise a certain amount of money and we've been able to (do) that on a regular basis.”
Bain also noted that community churches and hardware stores have also contributed to Habitat for Humanity’s goals.
“We have one thing we've done … (which) is to go to local places like Lowe's Hardware Stores and tractor supply places like that to get people to support us by signing two-by-fours,” Bain said. “We also have churches in the coalition that support the coalition, and other local churches will make an annual contribution.”
Several sponsors for the Fall 5k Fun Run include business such as Jackie O’s, Avalanche Pizza and White’s Mill.
Mayson Chapnick, a sophomore studying child and family studies, began doing long distance running her freshman year. Chapnick said the Fun Run would be a fun opportunity for other runners.
“I think everyone who just runs (5k races) for fun should definitely sign up,” Chapnick said. “It's going for a good cause. So, there's no harm in it and if you'd like to run, it's just extra fun.”
For other runners like Chapnick, running a 5k can be challenging but is often rewarding once the race is finished.
Christina Parker, a sophomore studying journalism and women and gender studies, is familiar with running a 5k and has ran several, even a few half-marathons. For Parker, running is a lifestyle and having a good mindset encourages motivation.
“To run successfully, is to just hone in on your intention behind it,” Parker said. “The best way to run is for yourself. It's hard, sometimes when there's time pressure on it to get under a certain time, or to run a certain amount of miles or, to … get in shape, whatever that looks like. Just have good intentions going into it: that you're just going to go out and do what you can.”
