Introducing the Pagoda Pathfinders!

A new eight week program

provided by the Pagoda Pacers

for new and beginning runners

(ages 18 and up)

Who will facilitate this program and what are their qualifications?

My name is Andi, and I am a member of the Pagoda Pacers. I have been a runner for almost nine years now, and I am currently a student at the University of Arizona Global Campus, majoring in Applied Behavioral Science with an emphasis on health and wellness. My son started running in junior high and is now a collegiate cross country and track runner. My dad used to run cross country and road races as well. In fact, I got my all-time PR (personal record) in a 5K race following one of my dad’s pieces of coaching advice about not wearing my GPS watch while racing!

The Purpose of the Pagoda Pathfinders and why I created it:

The idea for this program started with my research on identity, self-efficacy, and how they are linked, as well as how to cultivate them. Community is one of the things that was mentioned in some of the research. Based on some posts I saw on various social media outlets during the pandemic, I realized that identity is something that new runners struggle with, including questions such as, “At what point am I a runner?” This all is interlinked and can affect a person’s ability to successfully make positive behavioral changes that promote health and wellness.

This research, along with the Pagoda Pacers mission statement, which includes the statement that the group “promotes physical fitness and public wellness,” are some of the reasons that I reached out to the Pacers about a program for new and beginning runners. By creating the Pagoda Pathfinders and providing this program, I am hoping to contribute to this part of the mission while using what I have learned through college, as well as personal experience and reading.

The goals of this program include:

• Providing a community that eliminates the economic barrier (this eight week program is free), where participants can enjoy engaging with others in an environment that will foster their identity, feelings of capability, motivation, etc., through:
  • Weekly group runs, held on Sundays from June 9^th through July 28, from 9:00 am – 10/10:30 am, with the chance to meet other members of the Pagoda Pacers who will be helping out.
  • Weekly group runs, held on Sundays from June 9^th through July 28, from 9:00 am – 10/10:30 am, with the chance to meet other members of the Pagoda Pacers who will be helping out.
  • The opportunity/option to join our Strava group for inspiration, additional information, accountability, additional support, celebrating progress and daily wins, sharing questions, and more.
  • The opportunity/option to join us at the Grings Mill 5K/10K on August 4^th. Participants can pay to participate in the race, or join us and cheer fellow runners on. Participation awards (for the eight week program) will be handed out at this event (see photo below).
  • Fun weekly challenges, including adding an inspirational or upbeat song to our group’s playlist, bringing a healthy snack to share at our group run, “kindness” workout (more on that later), etc.
• Providing information in weekly emails that will help benefit and foster new runners in their growth as runners. Much of this information can also be generalized to other areas of physical fitness and wellness. Topics include:
  • Weeks prior to first meet up – goal setting, motivation, etc.
  • Week 1 – warming up, cooling down, dynamic and static stretching
  • Week 2 – sticking with your fitness journey (maintaining motivation, positive psychology and its link to your success, etc.)
  • Week 3 – nutrition and hydration
  • Week 4 – recovery
  • Week 5 – safety
  • Week 6 – Types of workouts
  • Week 7 – Investing in your journey (tools of the trade)
  • Week 8 – Race prep
• Meet our participant’s training needs at their current individual ability level and build on it, working towards the goal(s) they set for themselves. I will guide participants’ training based on these parameters, using their feedback from questions I email to them in a week or two leading up to our first group run.

So, if you are a new/beginning runner, or just looking to increase your physical fitness and wellness, please come join us! You can sign up by emailing me at pagodapathfinders@gmail.com. Participation will be capped at 15 members. I look forward to meeting you and getting to know you all!

Where: We will be meeting at the covered red bridge (Wertz’s Covered Bridge) by the Berks County Heritage Center to access the Gring’s Mill trail. You can use this address in GPS: 1102 Red Bridge Rd, Reading, PA 19605.

When: Sundays from June 9th through July 28th, starting at 9 am. (We’ll wrap up by 10 or 10:30.)

Cost: This program is FREE for participants, but there is a “pay option” for those who want to use the program to train for and race in the Gring’s Mill 5K/10K on August 4^th.