The HPER Fitness Center hosted its third annual Trick or Trot event Oct. 13 that brought students around the UCA campus together for fun in their exercise.
The Trick or Trot is a 1.8-mile night walk/jog around the campus.
During the registrations, the participants got T-shirts for the event.
Before the event began, there were obstacle courses and music to keep the participants entertained.
There was also an American Collegiate Intramural Sports table, signing students up for the Rewards program and sweepstakes to win the Schwinn Bike.
“I liked that everyone was being cool about it and no one was competitive,” freshman Jason Stapleton said. “They probably should’ve had the people that planned on walking towards the back first. That way the people that had run wouldn’t have to go through them. It’s kind of annoying that the first line of people was all walkers and I had to cut through the grass to get around them.”
After the instructions were given outside, the timer began prior to the start of the activity. Upon their finish, participants were required to sign a card to keep record of their time.
The males received blue cards while females received pink ones. The first six participants who completed the course won a canister of Halloween candy.
Last year, the event solicited door prizes from local community businesses.
Ary Servedio, assistant director of the HPER, said that due to the poor economy, they decided not to solicit door prizes this year.
She added that they must thank the Salem Kroger and Dave Ward Drive Wal-Mart. Each year, they give $25 gift cards to purchase fruit for the walkers and runners.
She also gave thanks and appreciation to Pepsi, who always donates the bottled water.
Stapleton said this was his first year participating in the event. Running the entire trail, he placed 12th.
“It was really good overall,” he said. “No one was really too competitive about it. It was just good-natured fun.”
He added that a water checkpoint around half-way marker would have made the event better because he said his throat got dry around there.
Treats were given before the run and the purpose of them was to show that it was a Halloween-type run and having small treats is part of a balanced diet.
Servedio said the purpose of the event is to promote physical activity around a fun, non-competitive atmosphere.
“It showed me that I can run faster and farther than I thought I could,” Stapleton said. “It kind of helped me with the face that I have been trying to get a high level of physical fitness.”
Stapleton said he went to the HPER Center to work out and saw a sign for the event.
He added that he just thought it would be a good idea to help keep himself in shape, and to get himself motivated to go out and run.
“I ran the path a couple of times before because they had it posted in the main lobby,” he said.
Servedio said, “We want to show that exercise can be fun as well as beneficial to our health.”
Servedio wants people to participate in events like this because the focus isn’t all on the person who runs the fastest or is the most fit.
“Many individuals don’t exercise because they may be intimidated by those who are more fit than they are. This event purposely does not award prizes for best times. We recognize top finishers but really focus on everyone that participates,” Servedio said.
Servedio said he wants to stress the importance of fitness in the life of a college student.
“It’s my hope that they have a good time with their friends and realize the importance of what they are learning in that class about being active now and leading a healthy lifestyle now and when they leave UCA to start on their lives journey,” Servedio said.