I like to get out and about in Mansfield, and sometimes I do it by going for a run.
I’m hardwired clumsy, so most sports are out because I simply can’t coordinate with myself or others. With running all I need to do is put one foot in front of the other and, the odd comedy tumble aside, I can just about pull that off.
Let me be clear: I do not have a glowing track record when it comes to physical fitness.
My background is in beer, cigarettes and hamburgers. I started late in life, and although some folks may feel like a panther or a gazelle when they run, the first time I tried it I felt more like an armchair or a washing machine.
Within moments I could see dancing white spots. After two minutes I thought my hair was on fire, and I think at one point I actually went blind for a few seconds.
But I persevered, and within a few weeks I could do something I call “running without intense suffering and agony.” Eventually, I got better at it and even came to enjoy it.
When I arrived in Mansfield last year at short notice with just a single suitcase, I didn’t have much, but I did have some shorts and a T-shirt. I added some running shoes from Crowe’s on Main Street and this was all I needed to get out and start pounding the pavement.
Close to my house on Maple Street is South Park, which I knew from previous visits and dog walks. Running further on took me through Middle Park and North Lake Park.
Altogether they make a great running circuit with a nice woodland backdrop that is very pretty in the summer, often striking in the winter.
Of course in South Park we have the gang problem and by that I mean the gang of feral cats that haunt the old machinery by the maintenance sheds. I’ve seen up to eight of them there at one time, lined up and staring at me like the children in Village of the Damned.
So intimidating are these felines that I half expect to hear the click of a switchblade and the opening strains of ‘West Side Story.’
Outside of the parks, I’ve found running the streets can be a good way to explore the neighborhood. In an age where pedestrians are often viewed with suspicion or pity, the jogger, like the dogwalker, wears a cloak of invisibility.
I’m a close follower of the local police beat, and I’ve seen many examples of people on foot being intercepted and questioned, but not once have I read about a jogger being flagged down to turn out his pockets.
I’ve found extra motivation signing up for organized runs that happen around town. By the time you read this, I’ll have taken part in this weekend’s CatWalk 5K, a jog around the Woodland neighborhood to benefit the Humane Society of Richland County.
(A quick note on race terminology. 5K means 5 kilometers, which is about 3.1 miles. Why do races use kilometers when all sensible people measure distance in miles? I have never received a satisfactory answer to that question.)
These local races provide a good challenge. It’s a goal to aim for, and you get a real buzz on race day when a whole bunch of you get to take over the streets.
All the same, you don’t have to pay to run. Mansfield has some great leafy open spaces and they are there for the use of all: not just runners but walkers, people with dogs, and families hanging out at the lake.
I took a recent Sunday afternoon walk around North Lake Park when the weather was nice and all of the above were present, along with a few folks fishing, too.
Spring is here, and it feels great to get out in the open air.
If you are motivated to sign up for an official race, here are some taking place locally over the next few months:
THE SHAWSHANK HUSTLE (Saturday, June 11)
The big one. Now in its second year, this 7K race drew in 3,000 runners from 35 states last time around, and they expect to do the same again.
Starting at the Mansfield Reformatory, the course features five filming locations from the movie and ends up downtown at the Carrousel. Entry is $55 and proceeds benefit the Ohio State Reformatory Preservation Society.
CAMP MOWANA A RUN THROUGH THE PINES (Saturday, July 2)
A scenic 5K by the Fleming Falls waterfall that takes you though the pine forest by Camp Mowana. Registration is $20 and proceeds go towards “camperships” for youngsters who cannot afford to attend camp.
THE SPHERION MID OHIO 13ER (Saturday, Sept. 3)
This is a half-marathon, clocking in at just over 13.1 miles. There’s a shorter 5K version, too. Both begin and end in downtown Mansfield. Proceeds will be distributed through the Richland County Foundation to groups that are helping to prevent drug abuse locally.
Registration is still in the “early bird” stage and costs $50 for the half-marathon and $20 for the 5K.
Find race registrations at:
http://shawshankhustle.com/
https://runsignup.com/Race/OH/Mansfield/RunThroughthePines5K
http://midohio13er.com/
