Oregon’s Annual Pear Blossom Run

The Pear Blossom Run has been held every April in Medford during the festival of the same name since 1979. This year’s Pear Blossom Festival was the 71st, making it one of Medford’s oldest traditions. Over the years this run has gone from 500 to 5000 participants, each individual member competing supports the YMCA and its outreach to the community. There are multiple runs within the festival, the two most prominent being the Pear Blossom 5k, and Pear Blossom 10-Mile runs.

What To Expect

This year the 5k was held at 7am, and the 10 mile at 8:20am. Both races start at, and loop back around to, Oakdale West and 8th in Medford. The 5k has a 60 minute time limit, which equates to 19:18 minute per mile pace. The route is characterized as being flat and fast, a big loop within Medford city limits. The first male and female runner to complete the race each receive a $100 gift card. The 10-Mile has a 160 minute time limit, equivalent to a 16 minute per mile trek. This route is also descriptively flat, fast, and includes one hill. The first female and male runner each receive a $250. Each participant who registers must wear a bib due to insurance restriction. The run is restricted to humans only, unfortunately no pets allowed. Wheelchairs and strollers are permitted, but any other form of transportation assistance is prohibited. Water stations will be available for those in attendance every 2.5 miles.

5 Benefits of Running a 5K

1.) Mental and Physical Health

• Running keeps your physical body active and engaged, leading to better overall physical health
• Engaging in physical activity can help to alleviate stress, reduce symptoms of depression, and improve sleep quality
• Consistent prolonged walking and running has been proven to improve cardiovascular health

2.) Ease of Access

• On average, it takes less than 2 months for someone to train for a 5k
• There are training schedules available to download online, who’s instructions can be done without any extravagant equipment and can be done at home
• 5ks are accessible to a wide age group, staring as young as 8 years old

3.) Versatility

• You can run a 5k practically anywhere, without throwing a wrench into your schedule
• Setting aside 30-45 minutes is enough to attempt a 5k run
• Those who have access can prep with a treadmill

4.) Individual Goals

• 5ks are both a competition and recreational activity depending on what your goals are
• Those who enjoy the aspect of racing receive the satisfaction of peer competion
• Those who participate more for the health benefit get the satisfaction of endurance training and the health improvements that come with it

5.) Community

• 5ks are a great way to build community connectedness and grant access to exercise for the general public
• You can find 5ks and other runs that double as charity events for local causes
• Attending these events is inherently community service, as it supports community outreach organizations such as the YMCA

5 Benefits of Running a 10-Mile

1.) Improved Efficiency and Endurance

• Running long distances exercises your body’s ability to persist through prolonged activities
• The longer the distance, the more work your lungs have to do, and in turn the stronger and more tolerant they are
• Long runs tone your muscles, specifically in your calves, exercising their ability to stay consistent as you continue to practice

2.) Increased Oxygen Consumption

• Running contributes to the improvement of cardiovascular functions, and the longer the run, the better the results are
• Long runs are scientifically linked to increased VO2, the maximum amount of oxygen your body is able to utilize during extreme exercise
• Prolonged movement accelerates cell regeneration

3.) Physical and Mental Strength

• Physically your body has to adjust to persevere through longer activities, and only improves with practice
• Going long distances at a consistent pace takes patience and mental focus, which; as with physical, only gets better with repetitive practice
• Long runs improve mental and physical tenacity in application to other environments as well

4.) Better Acceleration

• Put simply, the more you run, the faster you get
• Enhanced endurance gives you the ability to pace yourself much more efficiently, which helps you to better intuit when you need to speed up and when you can slow down
• Increased lung capacity directly enhances acceleration power

5.) Improved Energy Regulation

• Running encourages your body to use fat as fuel before glycogen, diminishing the onset of glycogen depletion while going long distances
• Long runs train your body to use it’s energy resources more optimally
• Running for longer periods of time enhances your overall energy regulation day-to-day

Resources

Pear Blossom Run Course Details

Home

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/5k-run/art-20050962

Citations

https://www.themotherrunners.com/benefits-of-long-runs/

https://www.healthaide.com.au/health-blog/7-reasons-to-run-5km