Run Hendo

If getting fit is one of your New Year’s resolutions, these Henderson-based running groups could help you meet your goals in 2017.

Run Hendo
Run Hendo was founded two years ago as a Facebook page to give runners and walkers in Henderson a place to connect, share experiences and advice, and promote running related events in the tri-state. Founder Sean Wilder says the primary goal of Run Hendo is to create a community and provide a forum for runners and walkers to connect with each other.

Run Hendo hosts group runs twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday nights in downtown Henderson. “The group runs help keep people on track with their fitness goals in that they are making an appointment to run with friends rather than it being just another item on their to-do list for the day,” Wilder explains. “It also provides a social outlet in that many stay afterwards for dinner on those nights.”

The Tuesday group meets at Rockhouse at Wolf’s, and the Thursday group meets either at Rookie’s or On Deck, depending on the season. Both meet at 6:15 pm. Tuesday and Thursday features three-mile base routes that can easily be made longer or shorter. Other group runs (like Saturday mornings) are also promoted on the Facebook group.

One of the many benefits and advantages of joining the group is the camaradie with other runners and walkers. Members encourage each other, offering advice, inspiration, and friendship.

Just for fun, Run Hendo has started logging miles and uploading them each week onto the Garmin website and FitBit devices so members can track each other. “Every Sunday night we publish the standings and give props to the person who logged the most mileage that week in the Garmin Group and the FitBit Group,” Wilder says. “Both are just fun ways to motivate people to keep moving.”

Follow the RunHendo Group on Facebook at Facebook.com/groups/runhendo or Twitter at twitter.com/werunhendo for any deviations to the norm. Find route maps at runhendo.com.
HendoRuns13
For those training for half marathons, the HendoRuns13 group was modeled after the Evansville YMCA’s Team 13 group, which trains for the Evansville Half Marathon. Cathy Thrasher, who moderates the group, is a teacher and the co-chair of Henderson County’s Project Graduation. “In June after school was out, graduation was over, and all my own children had left the nest, I needed a purpose.”

Cathy was already training for the half, but decided to create a group in Henderson and approached the owners of Everybody Fitness (where she was already a member) and asked if they would like to be a part of it. “I copied the 13-week plan from the Evansville group, a signup sheet, and the information about the half. The Hendoruns13 Facebook page and a few flyers around town helped create a buzz.

Soon, the group had nearly 25 members. Some were first-time runners, others had been running for years.“We planned runs in the morning from the gym, and the Run Hendo group handled the evening runs,” Thrasher said. HendoRuns13 and Run Hendo sometimes ran together on Saturdays.

From there, it became a community project. Blake Burris and Jimmy Tapp with Everybody Fitness provided advice to runners. Ultimate Fit talked about the importance of the right equipment one Saturday. Pro Rehab came to the open house and gave advice about injury prevention.

Much like Run Hendo, Thrasher says the emphasis of the group is accountability. “People ran with us or on their own but through social media we at least stayed in touch and encouraged each other.”

On a very dreary Saturday, October 1, about half the group participated in the Evansville Half Marathon. Some were injured, others had schedule conflicts, and a few found it just wasn’t for them, but Thrasher says the first year for HendoRuns13 was a success. “I see lots of room for improvements but I am looking forward to trying it again.”

There were clear victories. One particular lady was a walker, and she walked every training run, all the warm up races, and walked the entire 13.1 miles of the half marathon!

If you’re interested, follow the HendoRuns13 group on Facebook.

Henderson Run/Walk event calendar

Turkey Trot 5k
Thursday, November 24, 2016 @ 9:00 a.m. / Downtown Henderson
www.biacky.org/turkey-trot.html

Henderson Breakfast Lion’s Club Tri-Fest 5k/10k
Saturday, April 22, 2017 @ 9:00 a.m. / Downtown Henderson
breakfastlions.org

Cheetah Chase 5k
April 2017 (tentative) / Corydon, KY
abchandler.henderson.kyschools.us

The River Run 10-miler/12k
Saturday, May 6, 2017 @ 7:00 a.m. / Evansville, IN to Henderson, KY
evansvilleriverrun.com

Let’s Glow Crazy 5K Run and Fun
Saturday, May 13, 2017 (tentative) / Henderson County High School’s Colonel Stadium

Henderson Audubon Board of Realtors 2nd Annual Run for the Roses
Saturday, May 13, 2017 @ 9:00 a.m. / Audubon Mill Park

Henderson Rotaract’s Runnin’ For a Reason 5k Run/Walk
Saturday, June 17, 2017 @ 9:00 a.m. / Red Banks Park

Fox on the Run 5k Run/Walk
August 2017 (tentative) / Audubon Mill Park
fatherbradleyshelter.com

Henderson’s Walk For Life 5k Run/Walk
September 2017 (tentative) / Marsha’s Place
friendofmarshasplace.org

Hendo Beer Run 5k
October 9, 2017 @ 3 p.m. / Downtown Henderson
riseupandrun.com

Hunting Down Diabetes 10K Run, 5K Run/Walk
October TBA / Methodist Hospital
www.raceit.com/search3/event.aspx?id=37907

Columbia Chilly Hilly 5K Race/Hike
October TBA / John James Audubon State Park
form.jotform.com/52394907877977