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Updated July 11, 2016 at 7:30PM CT:

2016 Reagan Run Awards
2016 Reagan Run Age Group Awards
2016 Reagan Run Overall Results
2016 Reagan Run Team Scores

The not-for-profit volunteer Reagan Run Committee gives back to the community thanks to participant entry fees and sponsorships. Read more about Reagan Run benefits.

2016 Reagan Run 5K Race Brochure
2016 Reagan Run 5K Race Course Map

The Reagan Run committee has announced scholarship awards (two male and two female) for student athletes who are continuing their post-secondary education at a two-year, four-year college/university or trade school.

The announcement is here.

2015 RR5K Videos and 2015 RR5K Photos have been updated! Choose the Media menu option.

2015 RR5K Race Results have been updated! Choose the Race Results menu option.

Greetings and hello fellow readers!  I have been asked to write an article for the upcoming Reagan Run 5K race regarding technology tools that one may use to help train and prepare for a 5K race.  I must preface this article by stating my love for running and being in the great outdoors.  With this being said, I am relatively new to running.  My previous experience encompassed running one or two miles here and there.   Running in a race was not something I had ever dreamed of doing, nor did I ever have the desire to do until three years ago.

I had recently began a change in my diet and wanted to loose weight.  Therefore, I began running again for both health and relaxation purposes.  My wife knew my interest in technology.  Truth be told, she knew if a gadget had a battery and a power button, I would probably have an interest.  So that Christmas, my wife bought me a Nike FuelBand.  I was immediately hooked by the thought of a device to help me track my activity.  The actual band would track steps, activity, and calories burned throughout the day.  I would then synchronize the FuelBand with an app on my iPhone and track my workouts, runs, and daily activity.  The unrealized benefit of the FuelBand was to not only to see the day’s activities, but also a tracking system to see the highs and lows in my physical activity, not just my runs.  Seeing the daily challenges and goals that I would set on the Nike Fuel app for my phone kept me motivated.  I would try and out-do myself each and every day.

Shortly after I began using the Nike FuelBand, I found the Nike Run app and was able to use the mapping, coaching, and social media features of the app to share my excitement of running.  It was awesome!  I would begin a run and my followers were able to see that I was out on a run and would “cheer” me on!  This was beneficial as sometimes I would loose motivation at mile 4 or 5 and then I would hear a cheer from the app.  These cheers from friends helped to keep me going.

The other benefit of the Nike Fuel and Run apps is that you can network with a group of your friends.  May it be Twitter, Facebook, or just your contacts on your phone, you can see progress and effectively try to out-do your friends in challenges and in earning Fuel Points (a value that Nike puts on all physical activity).    The best thing about the Nike Fuel app is that it is now available on any iPhone that is a 5 or later.  The phone will do the tracking of your activity.  You no longer need to buy a FuelBand in order to use the features.  This is a plus as I use my iPhone for music to motivate me on my runs as well.

There is a great deal of options for the beginning runner to help train, track progress, and to share results.  I of course can only speak to the Nike apps and equipment, but I do know there are a great deal of followers of the Fitbit Surge smart-watch, the Watch, and many other devices out there.  These are great tools to help motivate and keep you on target with your 5K goals.  My only suggestion is do the research on what you personally need for an app or tracking method for your fitness goals, as well as what is easiest for you to utilize.  So get out and enjoy the great weather and get in shape at the same time!

Andy McFarlane is the CEO at the Y in Dixon, IL, runner, kayaker and lover of the great outdoors.  You can follow Andy at his Twitter account @AndyMcFarlane74.

During this year’s Reagan Run, there will be a pool and deck set up for a dog diving contest right in front of PLN Insurance. We are asking that when runners come off the Galena Avenue Bridge, to please stay on the brick walkway until they you are guided back onto the road in front of PLN on Lincoln Statue Drive. There will be volunteers available to direct the flow.

The Reagan Run 5K Committee recently offered two $500 Scholarships, one male and one female, for student athletes who were continuing their post-secondary education at a 2-year college, 4-year college/university or trade school.  The scholarships were available to any high school students who had participated in any or all of the following activities: 1) high school cross country, 2) high school track or 3) have participated in one or more road races including a Reagan Run 5K.

The Reagan Run Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of the two 2015 Reagan Run Scholarships were Maggie Bushman, a senior at Dixon High School who plans to attend the University of Wisconson-Madison, and Quincy Coomes, a senior at Newman Central Catholic High School who plans on attending Sauk Valley College.  Both students will receive $500 to go toward their educational costs.

The Reagan Run 5K Committee was able to make these scholarships available primarily due to the enormous support of its sponsors as well as the tremendous buy-in by the community and the multitude of participants who have enjoyed the event over the previous 15 races.  The committee looks forward to presenting one of the finest road races in the area for the 16^th time on Saturday, July 4, 2015.  For more information on the 16^th Annual Reagan Run go to http://reaganrun.com.

For additional information contact Nancy Varga at 815-288-2655 or nvarga61@gmail.com

The Reagan Run is a great race to draw in crowds of running enthusiasts from elite distance runners to those just wanting to get in their daily exercise. No matter where you fall in this spectrum, it is important to provide your body with adequate fuel and energy in order to help you perform at your best. With all the nutrition advice at our finger tips it can be hard to decipher what is appropriate for you.

In the weeks leading up to the race, try to establish healthy eating patterns including:

1. Eat small meals and healthful snacks regularly throughout the day.

More specifically, try to eat breakfast within 1-2 hours of waking. Then, as a good rule of thumb, you should aim to eat a mini meal or healthful snack about every 2- 1/2 to 4 hours. Also, try not to skip any meals or snacks.

2. Incorporate a little bit of whole grain carbs, lean proteins, and heart-healthy fat at each meal and snack.

This combination of whole grain/complex carbs or whole fruit  along with lean protein and a small amount of heart-healthy fat helps to keep you satisfied without feeling like your depriving yourself. The more complex nutrients are also more slowly digested which fills you up longer, maintain blood sugar levels, assists in portion control, and increases energy.

3. Hydrate well

We’ve all heard that we should drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day, but our actual fluid needs are more dependent on our own bodies’ weight. Therefore, it’s actually recommended that we consume half of our weight in ounces of fluid. The good news is that you don’t have to just drink water, but any liquid will do {Greek yogurt, smoothies, low fat milk, flavored water, etc… even coffee and tea}. Generally speaking, I’m not a fan of juices, sports drinks, and the like because there’s a lot of empty sugar and calories that can quickly add up. If you’re a regular long distance running, training for a marathon or triathlete, or school athlete, then you may benefit                 from the electrolytes. For those trying to lose weight, lean/tone up, have blood pressure or kidney issues, then you would be best suited for plain ole water.

4. Meal plan and limit processing

We all can benefit from taking time to plan our meals and snacks and eat more whole foods. Limiting processed food like baked goods, chips, and sweets helps to minimize added sugars, calories, sodium, preservatives, etc.

On race day, here’s what I’d recommend:

Pre- race

This is the time when to throw traditional healthy eating theories out the door. It’s important to have easily digested foods in the hour or so leading up to the race. You need something that won’t weigh you down and promote cramping or nausea. Therefore, since glucose is the optimal fuel for your body, choose low fat simple carbohydrates. Good options could be:

cereal + low fat milk

fruit

 yogurt

toast + jam

waffle + syrup

English muffin + honey

small muffin

Post-race

Be mindful to include some carbohydrates with some lean protein to aid in recovery. Make sure to replenish your sweat losses. However, the Reagan Run typically doesn’t last longer than an hour so water is typically sufficient.

Your specific calorie needs depend on a variety of factors such as age, gender, height, weight, & genetics.  The composition of those calories in terms of amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats will also be depending upon your level of running along with what you typically eat throughout the day. You may need to consult a registered dietitian nutritionist to create an individualized plan that is tailored to meet your goals and needs.

Happy running!

Rebecca Fisher Miller, MPH, RDN, LDN is from Dixon currently living with her husband and new baby in New Orleans, LA. She is a practicing registered dietitian nutritionist at Elmwood Fitness Center and writes a blog called Twisted Nutrition. She can be reached at rfisher1@tulane.edu to answer any questions.