Try Before You Buy at ARC; look online for fall programs

The Activities and Recreation Center starts every quarter with Try Before You Buy — and for this fall quarter the dates are Sept. 21 through Oct. 3.

During this time, staff, faculty and students have free access to all group exercise classes (Sept. 21-Oct. 3) and all dance and martial arts classes (Sept. 27-Oct. 3). In the martial arts category, the ARC is now offering a muay Thai class.

Officials also announced that the ARC has upgraded most of its cardio exercise equipment, and has added new high-definition televisions to the upper level.

If you are looking for the Recreation Guide for fall quarter, you will not find it in print. To save money, Campus Recreation eliminated the booklet. You can find the same information on Campus Rec’s new Web site; look under Programs, and click on a category that interests you, then click through to more information.

50-and-up tennis festival honors Prof. Harley English

The UC Davis Retiree Center is taking sign-ups through Sept. 25 for the second annual Harley English Tennis Festival for men and women age 50 and up, open to everyone in the campus community and to the community at large. Some younger players from the Davis Tennis Club and the UC Davis Tennis Club will also participate.

Organizers said people are encouraged to wear white for the festival, set to take place at the campus’s Marya Welch Tennis Center on Oct. 17, with registration beginning at 7:30 a.m. Spectators are welcome.

Men’s, women’s and mixed doubles matches will be played, organizers said, with participants limited to one event. For players without partners, the organizers will arrange teams.

Play will be in round-robin format, with divisions to be established per the National Tennis Rating Program.

The festival’s namesake is a professor emeritus of plant pathology, age 98, who played tennis on campus for many years, retiring from the game just about five years ago. Professor English was widely referred to as the “dean” of retired faculty and staff tennis players — many of whom have come together to organize the festival. English is the honorary director.

The registration form is available online. The fee is $25. More information is available by e-mail from the Retiree Center (retireecenter@ucdavis.edu) or Chris Dewees (cmdewees@ucdavis.edu).

Ready feet? Start walking

Walk by yourself, walk with friends or walk with a team — just get out there and walk, to feel better physically and mentally. That is the Aggies On the Move mission on the Davis and Sacramento campuses.

All members of the UC Davis community — students, staff, faculty, retirees and alumni — are invited to participate. Membership in the Activities and Recreation Center is not required.

For a $5 fee, you receive membership in Aggies On the Move, plus a pedometer and a logbook. Membership entitles you to receive incentive prizes; for example, tally 250,000 steps and you will get a red blinking light to clip to your shirt when you are walking at night. (Family and friends pay $8 for a pedometer and logbook, with membership not included.)

Active participants are eligible for monthly and quarterly raffle prizes.

For walkers who are interested in a little friendly competition, Aggies On the Move is once again coordinating a Team Challenge. Registration for the fall quarter challenge continues through Oct. 1, and the challenge dates are Oct. 5 through Dec. 6 (nine weeks).

Also this quarter, Aggies On the Move is offering Couch to 5K Run or Walk, during which trainers-coaches will help you prepare at a safe pace for your first 5-kilometer run or walk. Training sessions are scheduled from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays, Sept. 29 to Nov. 19 (eight weeks); participants are encouraged to attend at least one session per week. The fee is $25.

Registration for Aggies On the Move and Couch to 5K Run or Walk: go to the front desk at the ARC. For the Team Challenge: Contact Kendra Densmore at (530) 752-3882 or arc@campusrec.ucdavis.edu.

Putah Creek Reserve Cross Country Footrace

The UC Davis men's and women's cross country teams are hosting a community run Oct. 3 on the Aggies' home course at the Putah Creek Reserve west of campus. The five-kilometer run is open to all ages and abilities.

The event is billed as the first Putah Creek Reserve Cross Country Footrace, and it is a fundraiser for the university's cross country program, said Kim Conley, assistant coach.

The footrace is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m., and people are invited to stick around afterward to see Aggie team members compete against other collegiate-level runners in the Doc Adams Open, the Aggies' only home event of the season. The women's event (six kilometers) is scheduled to start at 9, and the men's event (eight kilometers) at 9:45.

But first comes the Putah Creek Cross Country Footrace for the community. Preregistration is under way through Sept. 28; the fee is $20, including a race T-shirt. the fee is $20, including a race T-shirt. The registration form is available online (click on "M&W Cross Country" under Teams). Runners' packets (each with T-shirt, race bib and an Aggie Pack goodie bag) will be available starting at 6:45 a.m. race day at the course.

Race day registration, also starting at 6:45 a.m., is $25, with T-shirts included on a first-come, first-serve basis, no guarantee of availability.

Flats are probably the best footwear option for the looped course on packed dirt, organizers said. Please no dogs or baby joggers.

Awards will be given to men's and women's overall winners, and to the top male and female in each age group.

Directions to the Putah Creek Reserve from Davis: Go west on Russell Boulevard or Hutchison Drive to County Road 98; turn left and go south to Putah Creek. From Interstate 80: Take the Pedrick Road exit (west of Davis); go north on Pedrick to Putah Creek.

For more information, contact Conley at kfconley@ucdavis.edu.