Sponsor Spotlight: Gold Sponsor Fifth Third Bank

We are honored to have Fifth Third Bank as our Gold Sponsor of the 3rd Annual Steps of Success 5K and 1-Mile Family Fun Run/Walk on Saturday, Sept. 7, at Shelby Bottoms Greenway.

You will find them at the race with lots of goodies and giveaways, especially at the finish line because they’re hosting the Fifth Third Finish!
They will also host drawings for a football signed by Tennessee Titans Quarterback Jake Locker, $53 gift cards, and Nashville Predators paraphernalia.

Also, any race participants who open a Fifth Third Bank account will receive a $150 deposit into their new Fifth Third account, plus may be eligible for other banking discounts!

We’re excited about this partnership and the value it offers to our race participants. And we’re happy to have the Fifth Third family join in our efforts to engage our community in a family-friendly environment, promote healthy living, all while providing support to local students.
If you haven’t already registered, there’s still time! http://stepsofsuccess5k.eventbrite.com

You don’t want to miss the goodies and fun with Fifth Third!

Did you know?…The history of Shelby Bottoms Greenway

In just five days, hundreds of runners and walkers will join us for the Steps of Success 5K at Shelby Bottoms Greenway. What you may not know is the history behind this 960-acre “oasis in the city” that is one of five Natural Area Parks within Metro Parks.

Located in East Nashville, within minutes of downtown, Shelby Bottoms is rich river bottom land with boardwalks over streams, wetlands and great overlooks of the Cumberland River. It has more than 3 miles of river frontage and more than five miles each of paved and primitive trails for visitors to explore and enjoy.

In the early 1990s Mayor Philip Bredesen charged a small “greenspace” committee of Nashville citizens to identify lands in Davidson County which should be preserved as open space and parks. And in 1994, the Metro Council’s Greenways Commission announced Shelby Bottoms as its primary greenway pilot project. The mission and goal for Shelby Bottoms included providing preservation and restoration of the open space as a greenway and nature preserve; to preserve the unique environment of wetlands, meadows and forests; and to provide recreational opportunities for the public.

The Shelby Bottoms Nature Center provides enriched educational experiences for park visitors via free programs, exhibits on the cultural and natural history of the area, and student field trips opportunities. The open fields and wet areas give much diversity to the land with an abundance of wildflowers, birds, amphibians, and tree species. The local birding community considers the park in their top spots for bird watching field trips.

Visit the official web site of Shelby Bottoms for more information. And to get the greenway experience up close, join us this Saturday morning! http://www.stepsofsuccess5k.com

We’re Running and Walking For a Cause!

Jaydia likes swimming and softball. She has dreams of being a guitar player, and her favorite Bible verse is, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jaydia is one of the many students who have attended Youth Encouragement Services, a 2013 beneficiary of Steps of Success 5K. Keep in mind that when you register for the run/walk on Sept. 7, you’re helping more young people get a little closer to their dreams.

Located in Nashville, Tenn., Youth Encouragement Services operates three youth centers that offer educational and recreational programs as alternatives for kids ages 6 to 18 during after school hours, weekends and summer break. The programs offered by Y.E.S. effectively keep children who live in the inner city off the street, giving them a safe place to go where they can engage in social, educational and cultural activities.

Pictured here: Steps of Success 5K Director Demetrius Short with Youth Encouragement Services Executive Director Rob McRay.

Y.E.S.’s three facilities are located in areas where lower income and education rates pose a credible threat to the child’s development. And Y.E.S. has created programs and volunteer opportunities to give a life-changing, odds-defying opportunity to our youth.

Y.E.S. activities include spiritual development (daily chapel), tutoring and homework assistance, summer Bible camp, physical development through athletics, arts/cultural enrichment, Back-to-School store, Christmas store, Honor Roll trip, computer learning, community awareness/service, field trips, job skills training, college scholarships and other various activities.

You’ll meet students and members of the Y.E.S. staff at Steps of Success 5K on Sept. 7. More important, you’ll help change their lives for the better when you donate or register today.

http://www.stepsofsuccess5k.com/

5K Training Tips For Beginners

Are you ready to get fit? We hope so because we’ve booked some of Nashville’s best fitness experts to lead our post-race fitness showcase. Today we’re sharing some training tips from Results Fitness who you’ll find at the race on Sept. 7!

—–Smart Running Routine for Beginners from Results Fitness—-

Just starting? Try this! Don’t worry if you’ve never put on a pair of running shoes. This program will get you up and running for at least 30 minutes straight in just six weeks. For each run, aim for a rate of perceived exertion (RPE) that feels like a 5 or 6 on a scale of 1 to 10 so you don’t burn out. Note: You can switch days to accommodate your schedule. So if you’re busy on another day and prefer to work out on a Monday or Friday, it’s fine to swap a rest day for a run day.

For more race information and to find out who else will be headlining our post-race fitness showcase, head on over to http://www.stepsofsuccess5k.com and register today!

Designed for Comfort and Style: The 2013 T-suit

The 2013 official race T-shirts are…you guessed it…designed as suits! We like to call them “T-suits.” Ladies, you can be chic like Janelle Monae, and fellas you can be handsome like George Clooney (or whoever your favorite celebrity-in-a-suit may be). On Sept. 7, all race and walk participants are encouraged to wear either a suit or the T-suit. The average temperature in Nashville in September is about 82 degrees, so if you don’t have an actual suit to wear, the T-suit will keep you cool and stylish.

All participants who register by Aug. 24 are guaranteed to receive one. Register yourself and your team today!

Are you feeling a little wackier than just the suit or T-suit? Then, it’s not too early to start planning for the wacky suit competition. This is a great opportunity to display your creative side. Come dressed in your wackiest, most original and most imaginative suit and onsite judges will determine the winner.

So, whether you’re in a suit, the T-suit or a wacky suit, on race day, we’ll all be “suited and sneakered!”

What’s this? Running in a suit?

It’s not every day that you see runners dressed in business suits. But that’s what makes the Steps of Success 5K Nashville’s most unique run/family walk!

Join us on Saturday, Sept. 7, for the third annual event at Shelby Bottoms Greenway and Nature Park. In just 12 weeks we’ll be running and walking to help local youth get a few steps closer to their professional dreams.

This 5K was inspired by a local college student who (with no scholarship or personal transportation) walked three miles every day from his college campus to his internship. Dressed in a business suit and carrying his briefcase, he knew that every step he took was a step toward success. Today, as a successful member of Nashville’s business community, he founded this unique 5K to create scholarship opportunities for college students and support after school programs for inner city youth in Nashville.

Proceeds from this year’s race will benefit Youth Encouragement Services and The Fisk 50/50 Protégé Mentoring Program, two organizations that equip youth for successful careers.

So, we invite you to suit up and bring along your colleagues, boss, best friend, children, mother and father, cousins…(you get the point, bring everybody!) for the best 5K of the year. We’ll have food, a kid zone, group fitness challenges, family friendly entertainment and loads of fun!

Register and find out all race details here. Check back often to get the latest buzz about the race.