On Saturday, May 17 at 9 am, runners and walkers will wend their way through the beautiful trails of North Conway’s Whitaker Woods at White Mountain Community Health Center’s 4th annual Whitaker Wander 5k.
Have you ever walked or run 5 kilometers? That’s about 3.1 miles. For many people, it’s a daunting distance, especially if they’ve had health challenges or struggled to exercise regularly.
If you’ve wanted to be more active, or if you have a health condition that means you need more physical activity to be healthy, it can be helpful to set a goal, like walking or running a 5k on a certain date. A Couch to 5k plan can help you reach that goal. They’re designed to help people who aren’t athletic to slowly build strength and skills so that after completing the plan, they’re able to walk or run a full 5 kilometers.
This year, White Mountain Community Health Center is offering patients a “First Steps Movement Plan” inspired by Couch to 5k programs to help you complete the Whitaker Wander 5k, even if you’ve never walked or run that far before. If the goal of reaching a full 5k is too aggressive for your current health condition or level of physical activity, you can set your goal at walking one mile and register for the one-mile walk instead.
Bob Hill, a Madison-based ultra-runner and CrossFit Level 2 trainer, designed this “First Steps Movement Plan” for Health Center patients that can be adapted for people on a spectrum of athletic abilities, from those who struggle to walk a short distance to those who run regularly.
We talked with Bob about the value of using a Couch to 5k program to get moving:
What’s the idea behind a Couch to 5k program?
The minute you say couch to 5k, everyone thinks running, but it’s not necessarily that. You can walk a 5k, and for a lot of people that’s going to be the right goal for them. The key thing is to get somebody moving no matter where they are on the spectrum, building some confidence so they can build momentum. It gives you a structure and strategy to maintain that momentum. It’s all about habit forming. It’s very achievable, it’s like fitness lasagna, you keep building layers of skills. This is a way to start developing some confidence, to make exercise more fun and goal-oriented.
Could someone who struggles to walk short distances really expect to be able to use a program like this to walk a full five kilometers?
It’s not guaranteed it’s going to be easy, but yes. Some of the goal is managing fatigue. How do you create an environment where you can keep moving? That’s where the strategy is, managing your fatigue level so you can finish.
Why should someone work towards walking or running a 5k?
For functionality in life, in order to move more. A 5k is hopefully some kind of incentive – people respond to a goal or target. There’s a lot of data that people who move more live longer. It’s a pretty low cost, low entry means to improve your health. It’s a pretty natural human function.
What’s your background in training and running?
When I was in the military, I was an NCO, meaning that I was responsible for training. More recently, I got my CrossFit Level 2 certification as a trainer.
I’ve been doing ultra-running for the past couple of years. An ultra is any race longer than 26.2 miles. Up here it’s more like mountain running. It’s a combination of running and fast hiking, not a flat 50-mile road.
What do you like about trail running in the mountains?
I like the challenge, to be honest with you. It’s hard, mentally it can be challenging. I like the solitude you can have out on the trail, but also the community. The vibe is always good, people are apt to share good tips, everyone’s respectful. When you meet someone on the trail, they’ll say “hi, howya doing?” or share an energy packet if you’re out, they’ll help you if you’re not sure which turn to take. That’s what I like about trail running. Up here, at least in the Whites, people aren’t throwing litter all over the place. They’re very respectful of the land, which is nice.
If you’re a patient at White Mountain Community Health Center and interested in trying out the “First Steps Movement Plan,” stop by to pick up a handout or call (603) 447-8900 to request one by email (due to copyright issues we can’t distribute the handout more broadly). The “First Steps Movement Plan” is a four-week program you can complete at your own pace.
Registration for the Whitaker Wander 5k is open to everyone! Register at www.runreg.com/wander2025, or at the race from 8 to 8:45 a.m. Patients of the Health Center can get a coupon for free or discounted registration if the cost is a difficulty by calling the front desk at (603) 447-8900.
White Mountain Community Health Center is open to everyone in the community and is accepting new patients. Most private insurance is accepted, in addition to Medicaid and Medicare. The sliding fee scale can be combined with health insurance to reduce out-of-pocket payments. People interested in learning more about the Health Center can visit their website at www.whitemountainhealth.org.