From ‘Couch to 5K’: Free Training Program Offered in Andover for Colleen Ritzer Race
The Merrimack Valley Striders invite runners, would-be runners, and walkers to get off the couch and join them for some free 5K coaching. Their “Couch to 5K” training program is being offered to help participants prepare to compete in the 12th Annual Step Up for Colleen 5K Walk and Run on May 4.
The eight-week training program kicks off on Saturday, March 1, and meets at Town Park, next to the municipal buildings on Bartlet Street in Andover. Volunteers from the Merrimack Valley Striders will provide the coaching and training beginning at 8:30 a.m. each Saturday during the eight weeks leading up to the May 4 event. The training dates include:
- March 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29
- April 6, 12, and 26
The Step Up for Colleen 5K Walk and Run honors the memory of Colleen Ritzer, a beloved math teacher at Danvers High School who was tragically murdered by a student in 2013. The event will begin with an opening ceremony at 8:45 a.m., followed by the 5K Walk and Run at 9 a.m. Proceeds from the 5K Walk and Run will benefit the Colleen E. Ritzer Memorial Fund.
“As a runner and Colleen’s former AHS oceanography marine biology teacher, I am thrilled to be heading this program,” said Mollie Shenker in a statement shared with Andover News. “As a town resident, runner, teacher, and mom, I know that these community runs are one of the wonderful parts of the Merrimack Valley community. Step Up for Colleen holds a special space in my heart.”
For more information on the “Couch to 5K” training program and the Step Up for Colleen 5K Walk and Run, visit the Merrimack Valley Striders’ website.
