AORTA News: December 9th, 2025
Auburn Toys for Tots This Saturday!
Auburn Toys for Tots 5K/10K and Fun Run
- When: Saturday, December 13, 2025
- Time: 8:00 AM (1-Mile), 8:30 AM (5K/10K)
- Where: Wrights Mill Road Elementary
- Fee: $20 (1-Mile), $35 (5K), $45 (10K)
** Prices increase after December 2nd
- Description: Mark your calendars and start the holiday season in a festive mood with a 10K, 5K, or 1-Mile! All participants are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy. to be distributed to children in need. This year, Toys for Tots donations are especially important. the weak economy has caused many to lose jobs, be furloughed, or be forced out of work for long periods of time. Families in these difficult situations desperately needed a little extra holiday cheer this holiday season. The Toys for Tots race will help bring people together during the holidays. All participants who register online by December 1st will receive a souvenir festive t-shirt!
Race Volunteers Needed!
As a runner, we know your time is valuable. But if you have a couple hours to spare, we could use your help for one of the upcoming AORTA supported or directed races! Assisting at a local race is a fun and rewarding experience. You are surrounded by health conscious individuals that, like you, are motivated fitness enthusiasts and appreciate the effort of volunteers.
Interested? Email aortarunningclub@gmail.com to learn more!
New Recovery Center in Auburn Opens Jan 2026
Looking to boost recovery, reduce soreness, and stay strong through all your training miles? Degree Wellness in Auburn—opening soon in January 2026—offers runner-focused services like whole-body cryotherapy, cold plunges, and Normatec compression massage, all designed to ease inflammation, speed muscle recovery, and improve performance. Their wellness options help you rebound faster from long runs, stay consistent week after week, and feel better heading into race day. A great upcoming resource for any AORTA runner wanting smarter, more effective recovery.
https://www.degreewellness.com
Have Gently Worn Running Shoes?
Are your running shoes past their useful running life? Most are normally good for 300 to 500 miles but can still have a lot of “sole” left in them! If yours are ready for retirement, bring your gently used running shoes to Love2Run, our local running partner store, where they’ll collect them for a fantastic organization called “Sneakers4Good”, a social enterprise that ships them to developing nations for micro-entrepreneurs.
When you bring them, please check for the following:
1) Gently worn means they are clean in usable condition and have no holes.
2) Soles are intact and not too worn, cracked, or breaking apart.
3) Laces intact, in good condition, not frayed, and tied together.
Weekly Whimsy
11 Unexpected Benefits of Running
November 24, 2025, RunningState.com
Running isn’t just about getting in shape or losing weight. Beyond fitness, it can improve your sexual relationships, sharpen your mind, and even add years to your life. Here are 11 surprising ways running can enrich your life in ways you didn’t expect.
1. Running clears your mind
Ask any runner why they keep going, they’ll say it helps them feel better. Running reduces anxiety and stress, boosts mood, and provides clarity. Even a short jog can act like a reset button on a tough day. And those endorphins? They’re real. Sometimes it’s a flood, sometimes it’s a trickle—but they’re enough to remind you: you’ve got this.
2. It sparks creativity
Need a breakthrough? Skip the brainstorming session and go for a run. Studies show aerobic activity boosts divergent thinking—the kind that helps you solve problems in new ways. Writers, artists, entrepreneurs: many of them swear by their "runthink" sessions. There’s something about the rhythm of footsteps and breathing that frees the brain to wander into brilliant territory.
3. It helps you sleep better
Running helps you fall asleep faster, sleep deeper, and wake up feeling refreshed. No supplements, no sleep podcasts—just your legs doing their thing. And unlike caffeine or screens, which mess with your circadian rhythm, regular running helps regulate it. You tire out the body, and the mind follows.
4. It strengthens your immune system
Moderate running has been shown to reduce inflammation and improve immune response. Translation: fewer sick days, milder colds, and quicker recovery when you do get knocked down. That said, pushing too hard for too long can do the opposite—so yes, rest days matter.
5. It builds mental toughness
Runners know suffering—and not in a bad way. Long runs, intervals, hill repeats: they teach you how to get comfortable being uncomfortable. That mindset spills into real life. You learn patience. You learn persistence. You learn that quitting rarely feels better than finishing.
6. It shows you what you’re capable of
There’s something deeply satisfying about accomplishing what once felt out of reach. Whether it’s finishing your first 10K, running in the rain, or showing up on a day you really didn’t feel like it—running reveals your true potential. And with every finish line, your definition of “impossible” quietly shifts.
7. It connects you with people
Even if you run solo, you are part of something bigger. The running community is one of the most inclusive, supportive spaces out there. From local races to global online groups, the friendships are real—even if they start with “What shoes are you wearing?” And let’s not forget the mid-run nod. Strangers, bonded by miles.
8. It boosts your sex life
Let’s talk about it: running gets the blood flowing—to all the right places. Improved circulation, better cardiovascular health, reduced stress, higher energy levels, and even increased body confidence all translate into a healthier, more satisfying sex life. Studies show that people who exercise regularly report higher libido, more frequent intimacy, and better sexual performance. Basically, all those miles pay off in the bedroom too.
9. It keeps your brain sharper
Running increases blood flow to the brain and helps preserve cognitive function as you age. One study even found that older adults who ran regularly had the same memory performance as people decades younger. Think of it as long-term cross-training for your mind.
10. It takes you to places you’d never go otherwise
Be honest—would you have explored that sleepy coastal town if it weren’t for the half marathon? Or climbed that winding trail at sunrise just for fun? Running pulls you off the beaten path, both at home and while traveling. It turns ordinary streets into routes, parks into playgrounds, cities into race courses. You don’t just visit places—you run through them, experience them, and leave your footprints behind.
11. It adds years to your life
And not just any years. Healthier, more active, more mobile years. Runners live longer than non-runners—by about three years on average. But beyond the numbers, running adds life to those years: vitality, resilience, independence.
Most people start running to lose weight or get fit. But the longer you stick with it, the more you realize: that was just the beginning. The real magic of running is in the energy, strength, and peace it brings to every part of your life.
Link to article: https://tinyurl.com/4zh55v72
Quote of the Week
There is magic
in misery.
Just ask
any runner.
Dean Karnazes (Ultramarathon Man)
Video of the Week
Running a Marathon… in a Mine 1,120m Underground (19:45)
What’s your dream marathon venue? Through your favourite city? Around a beautiful lake? How about in a mine?? At 1120m below sea level, this race will see runners take on the deepest marathon in history. Join Sarah as she joins a crew of 60, battles heat, darkness and claustrophobia, in the inaugural World’s Deepest Marathon to become Guinness World Record Holders!
** AORTA provides this informational video to its members as a courtesy and does not endorse any particular product, process, or service.
Ongoing Events
RunGo For Turn-By-Turn Directions!
RunGo provides turn-by-turn navigation allowing you to just enjoy your runs without having to think about looking for street names and when you may have to turn next. Other great features include, audio cues with your running stats, split updates, the ability to share your runs via social media, and create new routes. Another great feature of the app is the ability to work offline. You can create and download your routes ahead of time, before your run so you don’t have to use data during your run.
Race Volunteers Needed!
As a runner, we know your time is valuable. But if you have a couple hours to spare, we could use your help for one of the upcoming AORTA supported or directed races! Assisting at a local race is a fun and rewarding experience. You are surrounded by health conscious individuals that, like you, are motivated fitness enthusiasts and appreciate the effort of volunteers.
Water Stop Volunteers Needed
Water stop signs and coolers are available at the following location: 1536 Professional Parkway, Auburn, AL. (Thank you Adahli Massey!). Coolers and signs can be picked up Monday-Thursday from 8AM-4PM and on Fridays from 8AM-12 noon. Items are in the room next to the back door. If you are unable to pick up supplies on these dates/times, e-mail clemster@aol.com to make alternative arrangements (we deliver!).
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