By Tyler Bui | Assistant News Editor
The Baylor Wellness Department is hosting the fourth “Love the Run You’re With 5k” to promote healthy relationships and celebrate Valentine’s Day at 5:30 p.m. today.
The race is open to the Baylor and Waco community, and will begin outside the Baylor Sciences Building and feature a 3.2-mile track on the Bear and Cub Trail. The Wellness Department is expecting 300 to 500 attendants, and will provide snacks, tabling and music for participants.
Van Davis, assistant director of Wellness and FitWell programs at Baylor, said the main purpose of the race is to unite the community through the topic of relationships.
“We came together and thought about an event where we can promote healthy relationships around Valentine’s Day,” Davis said. “It’s an annual event that we have built as a great place for the community to come together more than anything. This year, the race lands exactly on Valentine’s Day. We want our students, faculty and staff to [unite] to talk about healthy relationships.”
Davis said the race not only promotes healthy relationships, but also supports American Heart Month. The event will start with a speech before the race begins to touch on the theme of relationships.
“We give a speech about healthy relationships, then we start the race. The race is on campus, most of it will be on the Bear Trail,” Davis said. “We will take one lap around the Cub Trail then run on the Bear Trail. The biggest benefit for your body are the cardiovascular benefits—in February, it’s American Heart Month. Even if you’re just walking, it’s still promoting heart-healthy activity for you.”
Kelsey Stevens, FitWell yoga instructor at Baylor, said the 5k promotes the importance of all healthy relationships, not just romantic ones.
“The 5k is to promote healthy relationships, bring the community together and promote self-love,” Stevens said. “It’s called ‘Love the run you’re with’, but it’s not meant to be exclusive to [romantic] relationships—it’s open to friendships, and we have even seen families do it together. It’s about loving the people you’re with and promoting overall love.”
Balee Schwalb, graduate apprentice for the Wellness Department at Baylor, said the 5k also recognizes the importance of physical wellness.
“With something like a 5k, it’s about what are bodies can do,” Schwalb said. “We want everyone to come out whether you can run the whole thing in 20 minutes or if it takes you an hour and a half to walk—whatever you need to do we would love to see you guys there. Bring your significant other or bring your best friend, we want to spread awareness about healthy relationships and celebrate what our bodies can do.”
Davis said her favorite part about the event is its ability to bring the community together in a unique setting.
“We get to see families coming out, we get to see moms pushing strollers, students that are runners as well as people that are walking,” Davis said. “It’s faculty, staff and students mixed together and that’s really cool to. There’s not a lot of events that everyone can come to and be at the starting line together, so it’s fun to see. It’s good to see the people coming year after year.”
