The Great Cape Escape 'Jump Start' Program starts Aug. 30

This article gives information about the "Jump Start to the Great Cape Escape" training program, which is open to all Elon faculty and staff.  The program begins on Wednesday, Aug. 30, and ends with the Great Cape Escape itself.  

Runners assemble for the Great Cape escape 5K/10K.  This year's race is Saturday, Sept. 23 at 8 a.m. and is the capstone event for the "Jump Start to the Cape Escape" training program.?
The Great Cape Escape, a superhero-themed 5K/10K/Fun Run benefiting the Open Door Clinic of Alamance County, kicks off Saturday, September 23, on Elon’s campus. 

In honor of the race, Faculty/Staff Wellness and the Elon Physician Assistant Studies Student Society have developed a four-week “Jump Start to The Great Cape Escape” program starting Wednesday, Aug. 30. 

This program is open to all Elon Faculty and Staff, and is perfect for people who:

  • have been joggers/ runners but slacked off in the hot, hot summer
  • who have been walking or walk/running this summer and now want a goal to work for
  • who jog/ run in the fall but substitute other activities in the summer
  • who have achieved a level of physical fitness with a sport other than running, but are physically fit and would like to try a 5K

Please note that this is not a couch- to- 5K program!  It is a jump-start program for people who have jogging, running or endurance exercise experience. Watch for a Couch-to-5K program coming your way later this year.

The program consists of twice-weekly workouts that include pre-run stretching, a brief teaching session about running and fitness, and a run (or walk-run that builds up to a run) of the Great Cape Escape route.
Participants are asked to come to at least one workout weekly.  Workouts are scheduled for Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings (first workout is Wednesday, Aug. 30 at 5:30 p.m.), and will start/finish at the west parking lot of the Gerald Francis Center. 

Coaches Megan Squire, professor of computing science, and Karen Siege, a first-year Physician Assistant Studies student and runner, will lead the sessions along with other assistants. 
The four-week series is capped off with the Great Cape Escape itself, at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23. 

All program participants receive a Great Cape Escape Registration Code good for a free T-shirt at registration.  All program finishers receive a finisher’s medal at the Great Cape Escape finish line and a wellness prize from Faculty/Staff Wellness.

Interested? Please contact Cindy Bennett, assistant professor in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies at cbennett14@elon.edu or at extension 6856.