MARQUETTE — Queen City Running Company of Marquette is hosting a program for runners of all abilities to prepare for the Dead Carp 5K race in May.

The nine-week training program, which started last week and runs until May 6, is designed for people wanting to enter the world of running or get back into the swing of it. Whether you are brand-new, restarting your running journey, or want a community of runners to join and share the experience of running with, you are welcome to join the Let’s Get Running program.

“We’re a big crew of runners here and we all noticed that there wasn’t really a begin-to-run program currently in Marquette,” said Let’s Get Running head coach and Queen City Running Company inventory specialist Cherise Wilkins. “It’s really nice to have that intro to the sport. When you love the sport so much, you do want to share it with people, so we just saw a need to have that intro that’s accepting and very gentle for people so that it’s not intimidating….It serves that need of getting people more comfortable with the sport and and bringing them up to a 5K.”

The program will prepare runners by building their confidence and experience levels to fully complete a five-kilometer race, which is approximately three miles long and for this event, runs from the Dead River to the Carp River. Under the guidance of Wilkins, an experienced running coach, runners will meet at Ellwood A. Mattson Lower Harbor Park’s large parking lot, located at 200 N. Lakeshore Blvd, at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday evenings for group workouts.

“Starting from the beginning where we’re going to start, the training plan looks a lot like walking with small amounts of running introduced. The goal is to get your body comfortable (with) that new activity of running versus walking which we all do almost every day,” Wilkins explained. “It goes from a little bit of running with a whole lot of walking and the running intervals increase weekly in a scientific (way) — as much as training can be scientific — that increases gently over the course of these nine weeks to lead to that 5K. We’re going to meet once a week together, but there is homework. Doing something once a week is not generally enough, so you do that same workout two more times during (the) week on your own, and it brings people gently up to that 5K distance.”

Wilkins, who has lived in Marquette off and on in her adult life, has coached similar programs in the past, including an established beginner’s 5K training in Syracuse, New York.

“I coached a half marathon program and a marathon program before, and I also do a little bit of coaching on (the) side as well,” Wilkins mentioned. “I have coached runners for quite a while, and I coached a beginner run program before and I love(d) it. I think it introduces so many people to a sport that I love, so that’s the first thing I wanted to be involved with. When the owners up here introduced it, I was like ‘I want to do this. I need to be there. I want to be involved.'”

The program’s first meeting was on Tuesday night, and Wilkins is hoping that it will help bolster a supportive, enjoyable running community for those who are registered.

“What I’m really hoping for is a sense of camaraderie with the participants, because that’s the biggest thing that leads to success in enjoying a sport is having people to enjoy it with,” Wilkins explained. “I’m really hoping that people find (that) camaraderie (and) friendship and just a running community that’s open arms here, because everyone is super supportive here. I’m hoping for those participants to be able to see that and not feel intimidated by it and be able to be like ‘Oh, this is a sport that I can enjoy in other avenues beyond this program.'”

All participants will receive complimentary registration into the Dead Carp 5K race, which takes place on May 10. Registrants will also receive discounts at Queen City Running Company during the program.

If you missed the chance to sign up online, you can still get involved with the program, which costs $125 for enrollment, by contacting Cherise Wilkins at Queen City Running Company. The final deadline to join is this Tuesday.

Cherise can be reached through Queen City Running Company at 906-273-1781. Its physical storefront is at 130 W. Baraga Ave.

More information about the Dead Carp 5K can be found online at runsignup.com/Race/MI/Marquette/DeadCarp20Kand5k.