By Kate Hibbard-Gibbons, MA, Counseling Psychology Doctoral Student, Western Michigan University
“The Running Psychologists Annual “Ray’s Race” 5k Run and Walk is back again to celebrate its 
39th year! Ray’s Race is an APA tradition that was started by former APA President and CEO, Ray Fowler. It is a great opportunity for getting some exercise during the convention, networking with colleagues, and seeing a beautiful part of Washington, DC. This year the race will be held at Anacostia Park! The gradPSYCH blog has featured a few posts regarding the importance of self-care for graduate students. Ray’s Race presents a wonderful opportunity for self-care and to get re-energized! Graduate students have truly enjoyed this race and are excited to share their experiences. Please read a couple of these experiences:
“As a third-year graduate student, I attended my first APA Convention last year. There were so many enriching and interesting presentations and panels; I enjoyed the excitement of attending. Among the various 2016 APA convention booths, I was pleasantly surprised to come across Ray’s Race, a 5K run/walk organized by psychologists for psychologists. Ray’s Race offered a break from the busyness and a chance to connect with like-minded professionals in a different setting. My graduate training is not related to sport and exercise psychology, my interest in participating in Ray’s Race stemmed from my desire to get outside and engage in a healthy physical activity while connecting with other professionals. As a graduate student, I found this to be such a unique experience, and now I am involved in planning Ray’s Race because I wanted to ensure others have the same opportunity I had.” – Tracy Glazier, Doctoral Candidate, Division Member 16, 35, and 53
“I ran my first Ray’s Race in San Diego at the 2010 APA Convention. It was my first time at APA, so I tried to take in as many sessions as possible and I found myself exhausted – Ray’s Race offered just the rejuvenation I needed! I was also thrilled to meet professionals across divisions who had a passion for both psychology and for running. Consequently, a couple of the participants that I connected with became mentors throughout my training to become a clinical and sport psychologist. I love that this group demonstrates their values in balancing commitment to career and serving others, with self-care and prioritizing exercise as a key component of well-being. Running in this 5k race is also a great opportunity to see a little bit of the convention host city too!” – Julie Vieselmeyer, Doctoral Candidate & Running Psychologists President, Division Member 38, 47, 56
This 5k isn’t just for runners, it is for walkers too! Families are also welcome! There are age group awards for all runners and walkers, making this a welcoming activity for participants of all ages and speeds. All participants will receive a t-shirt. Running Psychologists and Ray’s Race value participants at all stages of their careers, therefore, a reduced fee of $25.00 is offered to graduate students to register for the 5k. There will also be FREE shuttles to and from the race site!
For more information or to sign up, please visit our registration page or contact: Julie Vieselmeyer via TriCoachJulie@gmail.com. You can also check us out on Facebook: @runningpsychologists.
Hope to meet you on August 5th. Happy Running!
-Kate