ORC Distance Training Programs
Contacts: Connie Garro and Kent Blobaum
E-mail: cagcag822@gmail.com or Kent.blobaum@cox.net
“There will be days when you don't know if you can go the distance; there will be a LIFETIME knowing you have.”
The Omaha Running Club conducts a distance training clinic each year to prepare runners for a fall marathon or half marathon, with the emphasis this year being on the ORC's Heartland Marathon on September 22. All abilities and levels of runners can benefit as Heartland offers Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K and Marathon Relay Events.
The 20+ week clinic begins in April and continues into early August. The first meeting is an organizational meeting explaining how the clinic functions and offering runners of all abilities the opportunity to ask questions, sign up, and determine if they are ready to train for a longer distance run. The first organizational meeting for 2024 will be April 24, 6:00 p.m. at Peak Performance, 519 N 78th St., Omaha.
Clinic sessions will be on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. and Sundays at 8:00 a.m. and will continue into August. Most sessions will meet at Peak Performance, 519 N. 78th St., Omaha. As the clinic progresses, the Sunday session times and locations will vary. The first three Wednesday sessions each month, beginning at 6:00 p.m., include a speaker who will discuss a marathon/half marathon related topic, followed by an optional group run. The fourth Wednesday will be a mix-up run of various distances at various locations to become familiar with different trails in Omaha.
The speaker portion of each session lasts about 45 minutes and is then followed by a run for those who have the time for an evening run. Speakers recognized as experts in their fields will cover topics to include: Nutrition; PT-injury prevention and care; Strength training for runners; Yoga for runners; CORE; Q&A with local running experts; massage therapy; and sports psychology. The Wednesday runs start about 7:00 p.m. with distances varying between 5 and 10 miles. The Sunday session is a long run, under the coordination of ORC Board member Marty Ertz, initially beginning at Chalco at 8:00 a.m. Distances will vary between 4 and 20 miles. As the clinic progresses, Sunday session meeting times and locations will vary. Clinic leaders, Connie Garro and Kent Blobaum, will post upcoming weekly clinic activity on both the Facebook pages of Run 402 and the ORC. Check those Facebook pages weekly for schedule updates.
An End of Season Banquet sponsored by ORC will be held to share and celebrate the running season and will include prizes and drawings for participants in the ORC clinic.
Cost: FREE (for Omaha Running Club members). Cost for non-members will be $20 or $25 that will include a Young Professional or Individual membership in the Club.
For specific questions concerning the clinic, please contact clinic leaders, Connie Garro (cagcag822@gmail.com) or Kent Blobaum (Kent.blobaum@cox.net) or email them at orcdistanceclinic@gmail.com