Lake Country This Month

By Christopher Bennett Special to The Freeman OCONOMOWOC — Sean Osborne readily admits he is not a running coach or trainer. However, Osborne knows what you should do if you intend to start running and compete in one of the numerous 5K runs that take place seemingly every weekend in southeast Wisconsin through late spring, summer and fall. "The 5K is the most popular run, for distance, that people that start to run," Osborne said. "The most popular distance after that is the half marathon (13.1 miles)." Osborne is the race director for Silver Circles Sports Events, which bills itself as a full-service event promotion and race management organization, and is based in Oconomowoc. According to its website, http://www.silvercircle- sportsevents.com, Silver Circles produces Summit- Fest, the Wisconsin Trail Assail Running Series, 102.9 The Hog's 'Stache Dash and Dirty Dog Mud Runs, the Frostbite Scramble, Lake Country Halloween Dodge- ball, Last Call, Dusk Dash and Fiesta Cancun Burrito Biathlon. Five kilometers is 3.1 miles. Running that distance, and enjoying the experience, is not as hard to achieve as one might think. "I've been telling people 'I've been that guy, sitting on the couch, wanting to go out running,'" Osborne said. "In my opinion, the first thing you need to do is commit to getting off the couch and start walking." Osborne said to try walking every day for a week. Walk to the end of the block, and then walk farther. Do it once, then do it twice and then start adding dis- tance and repetition. After a week or two, add some light running. Osborne said you could start at something as short as running one-quarter of a mile. Put in simpler terms, most high school tracks in the state of Wisconsin are a quarter of a mile in cir- cumference. One lap around such a track is a quarter of a mile. "Every day, just add a little more distance to your run," Osborne said. "Never add more than 10 percent per week to your longest distance." Osborne pointed out that adding another quarter mile is not a dramatic leap. It is only 400 more meters, or one more lap around the high school track in your mind's eye. "Let your body tell you how it feels," Osborne said. "You really have to listen to your body, and it will tell you whether you should slow down or back off a little bit." If you want to stretch before or after running, do so if you need to feel limber or loose. You will also become more aware of the connection between your mental and physical states. You should not ignore the burn in your calves, but if you only ever run one mile, you will only ever run one mile. "To help you through that mental block, write down what your plan is going to be," Osborne said. Writing down a goal increases the chance of fulfill- ment. Osborne said to post your plan conspicuously. By the time you are running, you should have a pair of running shoes. Osborne said special gear is not needed for walks around the block, but one should purchase proper footwear if running a 5K or more. Osborne said Endurance House, 2736 Hillside Drive in Delafield, among other places, is a good place to purchase footwear. Staff will measure your feet and examine how you run, and suggest a pair of shoes that will work best. As for clothing, Osborne said anything considered should wick away moisture. Moisture lingering on the skin can lead to chafing while running. Compres- sion shorts under running shorts are also helpful. As you run — hopefully without chafing — Osborne said you will notice that you eat better. Your body is not burning enough energy in running a 5K to require a rigorous, special diet, but you will gravi- tate to healthier foods. "You start to eat better," Osborne said. "You feel better, and you tend to eat better. There's a real corre- lation to eating potato chips and how you feel during the day." Your feeling of accomplishment upon finishing your first 5K run will be accompanied by a sense of euphoria that keeps bodies in motion and runners running — the runner's high. Osborne said it will drive you, and potentially lead to points bigger and better. "When you finish, you feel so wonderful that it makes you want to come back for more and more, and that's why some of us choose to do Ironmans (triathlons) or 100K runs. "You know, at the end of the day, you feel so great for the rest of the day, and it's called runner's high." Page 4A • FREEMAN & ENTERPRISE LAKE COUNTRY FEBRUARY 2015 Office of Dr. Jill Wohlfeil W359 N5002 Brown Street, Suite 208 Oconomowoc, WI 53066 262-560-1920 www.reneuhealth.com 242401002 • Precisely targets problem area with ultrasound energy • No heat, no cold, no pain • Visible results as soon as 2 weeks • No downtime Book your appointment in Feb. and receive $200 off your package. Painless Non-invasive Fat Reduction UltraShape Our staff is available 24/7 to provide immediate intervention with the expertise and legal acumen to assist with the many needs of our clients. Bucher Law Group, LLC, has over 100 years legal experience, with four staff attorneys to assist you with every legal need. We offer assistance in criminal defense, real estate, probate, litigation, worker's compensation, social security disability and family court matters. Back row - Paul Bucher, Paul Kntzer, Thomas Simon, Steven Lownik Front row - Jodie Massey, Susan Calvanico, Deborah Mueller We are located in Delafield at 355 Austin Circle, Suite 110. To schedule a free consultation, please contact us at (262) 303-4916, or visit our website at www.bucherlawgroup.com By Christopher Bennett Special to The Freeman DELAFIELD — Time is run- ning short if you want to plan a spring break or summer vacation for you and your family. For the best rates and accommo- dations, it might be best to start planning for 2016. But if you start soon, 2015 is still a real possibility. Sharon Kumbier is the director of marketing at Travel Leaders, and is in her 30th year in the trav- el industry. Travel Leaders oper- ates out of locations in Oconomowoc, Delafield, Menomonee Falls and Sun Prairie. Travel agencies are closing left and right with the onset of Inter- net-based travel planning. The best are staying in business, though, and Kumbier and Travel Leaders are among that select group. Time of the essence Time is of the essence in travel planning. The earlier one begins, the easier it is to ensure an afford- able experience at the destination of one's choice. You can still plan a spring break trip for this coming spring. "This year, you would have to have a little bit of flexibility, at this point," Kumbier said. "Spring break travel planning has been going on since August of 2014." Taboo as it might sound, Kumbier said children missing a day of school increases flexibility for those hoping to escape Wiscon- sin yet this spring. "A lot of people start planning spring break as soon as the school schedules are announced," Kumbier said. "If you have flexi- bility at this point, possibly Mon- day to Monday and have the kids miss maybe one day of school would give you better options." Ideas span the globe Following the sun is a popular option for spring break destina- tions. Kumbier suggested the Mex- ico coastal areas of Riviera Maya, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas. Riviera Maya is on the Yucatan Peninsula in southeastern Mexi- co. Puerto Vallarta is in southern Mexico on the Pacific coast. Cabo San Lucas is at the tip of the Baja Peninsula. Kumbier said the Caribbean island of Jamaica, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos in the Bahamas are also popular. Charters run from Milwaukee to Riviera Maya, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, Jamaica and Punta Cana. Kumbier said airfare to Turks and Caicos must be booked independently, and might be pricier. All-inclusive packages are still available at some resorts, but again, time is running short, and flexibility is key. Domestically, Kumbier said the Florida beaches and Las Vegas are popular spring break destina- tions. Costa Rica is a popular destina- tion for spring break and summer vacationers looking for what Kumbier called an "eco-vacation." The Central American country offers plenty of activities for active families, such as zip lining, jungle activities and time on the beach. In addition to Costa Rica, Kumbier said Alaskan cruises and European river cruises are also popular in the summer. "More and more families are hit- ting Alaska, which has a very edu- cational aspect," Kumbier said. "It's one of the most popular things the last couple of years." European river cruises, perhaps on the Rhine through Germany or the Danube, which touches 10 sep- arate countries, offer more of an immersive cultural experience. For those wishing to stay in the States, Kumbier said Myrtle Beach, S.C., is popular, as are dude ranches out west. "You can do everything from staying and seeing national parks or work the ranch, depending on what level of involvement you want," Kumbier said. There is also the time-honored Wisconsin tradition of going up north, and spending time in places like Door County, Minocqua or the Apostle Islands. If you are staying in the country, you do not need a passport. For travel outside the country, you need a passport. There are other concerns. If you are traveling abroad with small children, your brand of baby for- mula or medicine might not be readily available at your destina- tion. Plan ahead for any and all contingencies you can imagine. Kumbier is also solidly in favor of getting travel insurance. "We strongly recommend travel insurance," Kumbier said. "We're not insurance salesmen, by any means, but I think with 30 years experience I've seen just about everything in the book." Learn more about Travel Lead- ers at http://www.tljourneys.com. It's not too late to plan spring travel Go from couch potato to running 5Ks in a few easy steps Start small, increase gradually to achieve goals

• Cover