Get ready to do the LoCo Motion

By Marie McAden
Come on, join Beaufort Memorial Hospital this fall and do the LoCo Motion.
The three-day, 30 mile walking and running event—set for Sept. 28-30 on Callawassie and Hilton Head Islands—is the signature fundraiser of Carolina Cups, a Lowcountry non-profit organization supporting breast cancer education, screening, treatment and clinical research.
For the second year, Beaufort Memorial will serve as the lead sponsor of the event, expected to draw more than 1,000 participants from across the country. In addition to being a sponsor, Beaufort Memorial’s Keyserling Cancer Center is one of the recipients of the proceeds.
“Part of our mission is to improve the health of the community,” said Connie Duke, Beaufort Memorial’s director of oncology services. “This event gets people exercising and raises awareness of the health benefits to being fit. It’s not just about fighting cancer; it’s about decreasing your chances of developing heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.”
Trekking 10 miles a day, three straight days requires some advance training. To help participants build up their endurance, event organizers have put together a 17-week training schedule you can download at www.DotheLoCoMotion.org.
In addition, free group training sessions are being offered in Beaufort, Bluffton and Hilton Head Island to help participants prepare for the big fall show date. You don’t have to be registered as a LoCo Motion participant to take part in the training events.
“We want to make sure people have fun and are not crawling across the finish line on the last day,” said event organizer Laura Morgan. “Most people are not conditioned to walk long distances back to back to back.”
LoCo Motion was designed to appeal to a greater audience by allowing participants to walk or run and choose if they want to complete one, two or three days of the event.
“We want people to get out and get their bodies moving,” Morgan said. “Walking with others can help you stay motivated to get fit and healthy.”
BMH will host the Beaufort training program beginning June 4. The free sessions are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays and 7 a.m. Saturdays at the hospital’s LifeFit Wellness Center. Call 522-5637 for more information.
“There’s strength in numbers,” said Hollie Smith, an exercise physiologist at BMH and of the LoCo Motion trainers. “Walking or running with others makes your workout more fun. And you’re less likely to skip a session if you know there are people expecting you to show up.”
Clinical Nutrition Manager Roxanne Davis-Cote will offer tips on what to eat and drink during the training sessions and the three-day event.
“I recommend four to eight ounces of water per mile,” Davis-Cote said. “If you start to feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.”
A well-balanced diet that includes whole grains, fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy and lean meats also is essential to condition your body for an intense workout.
To stay fueled, runners may want to pack energy gels that are easy to carry and eat on the go. For walkers, a piece of fruit or yogurt will help maintain stamina.
To learn more about Carolina Cups or the LoCo Motion event, visit www.DotheLoCoMotion.org or call 540-3284.