Purdue Boilermaker Half-Marathon & 5K supports behavioral health, more

The 10th annual Boilermaker Half-Marathon & 5K will take place Oct. 16 on Purdue’s West Lafayette campus. Human Resources is once again offering discounted registration fees (50 percent discount) for both the 5K and the half-marathon. Additionally, the Healthy Boiler Program is a 2021 supporting sponsor of the event to encourage participation and remind employees that the Boilermaker half-marathon and 5K support multiple pillars of the program – physical health, behavioral health and social wellness.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), exercise has been researched and validated for treating a variety of mental issues and mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, addictions, grief, relationship problems, dementia and personality disorders.

“Medications used in the treatment of mental illness increase levels of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, and exercise can do that, too,” says Whitney Soto, registered nurse health coach at the Center for Healthy Living (CHL) on Purdue’s West Lafayette campus. “In addition, exercise can improve and normalize neurotransmitter levels, which can improve mood and energy, reduce stress and more. The Boilermaker Half-Marathon & 5K is a great opportunity to be outside and do something that’s good for your body and mind.”

Discounted fees

“We are excited to once again have the Healthy Boiler Program as a supporting sponsor of the event,” said Candace Shaffer, senior director of benefits in Human Resources. “Offering discounted entry fees for the Purdue Boilermaker Half-Marathon & 5k aligns with our goals of the program not only to promote health and wellness among our Purdue community but also to provide opportunities that support that. Offering our faculty and staff the ability to participate in a wellness event at a discounted rate is a great way to do that.”  

Discounted fees for the 2021 Boilermaker Half-Marathon & 5K are as follows:

• Half-marathon participants
  $30 + processing fee
  Discount code – EWChalf – expires at 11:59 p.m. Sept. 30
  
• 5K participants
  $15 + processing fee
  Discount code – EWC5k – expires at 11:59 p.m. Sept. 30

Registration is available on the event webpage.  

Training resources

There are several local (to the West Lafayette campus) training resources available, including:  

• Health coaches at CHL can assist beginner runners as well as walkers in setting goals and preparing for the event. Schedule a walking health coach appointment as an added bonus. For more information, call 765-494-0111 or visit the Health coaching helps you make and sustain healthy changes
• Mobile apps also are available for those who prefer to train on an individual basis. For example, C25K -- also known as Couch to 5K -- is an eight-week program that uses an audio coach and music to help turn couch potatoes into 5K runners. For more information on C25K and other apps (Zen Labs Fitness Apps), visit C25K Your 5K Trainer.
• Fleet Feet Sports, 500 Sagamore Parkway West in West Lafayette, offers its “Fleet Feet Running Club Training Programs.” Check the Fleet Feet website for details.

More information  

Questions can be directed to Human Resources at 765-494-2222, toll-free at 877-725-0222 or via email at hr@purdue.edu.

Event-specific information is available on the 2021 Purdue Boilermaker Half-Marathon & 5K event webpage.