Participate in a 5k or a half-marathon this Sunday (Aug. 2) and get a chance to be up close and personal with some of your favorites from NBC’s “The Biggest Loser.”
Are you a fan of the show’s popular trainer Dolvett Quince? He’ll be at Chicago’s third annual Biggest Loser RunWalk.
Dolvett of “The Biggest Loser”
So will season 16’s recent top winner, Toma Dobrosavljevic of nearby west suburban Addison, who will lace up to join the runners of the half-marathon.
But wait, there are more opportunities to get up close to former “Biggest Loser” contestants. At the wellness meet-and-greet (AKA the packet pickup) on Saturday, Andrea Wilmanowski, season 16 contestant, will be there (11:30). Another season 16 contender — Downstate resident Sonya Jones (she placed second on the last season) — will be on hand (2:30 p.m.) as will season 5 contestant Dan Evans (3 p.m.). Evans, who is a Nashville recording artist, also will be featured at the post-race concert on Sunday. And Dolvett will be on hand beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Sonya Jones, “Biggest Loser” contestant, season 16
The Sunday 5k and half-marathon will kick off from the Stadium Green at Soldier Field and head south along the lakefront before winding back to Soldier Field.
Non-runners can get in on the action, too. Volunteers are needed for a variety of tasks on Saturday and Sunday. One of the things they’ll get for their service is VIP access. Sign up to volunteer or to run the race here.
If you get a chance to talk to Dolvett — whose past clients include Angela Bassett, Janet Jackson and Justin Bieber — don’t be surprised if he is pushing the importance of moving regularly. I interviewed him a few years back when he was making a Chicago stop, and one of the things I remember him suggesting is that people stop thinking of exercise as a chore. He recommends people think of working out as “more like that fun thing I do” and they’ll be more likely to make time for it.
Dolvett, who’s been getting people in shape on “The Biggest Loser” for four seasons, also pushes exercise as a way to get rid of stress. “There is no better option than [working out] as a stress reliever,” he told me. (I’m so in agreement on both of his recommendations.)
But back to the RunWalks. The Biggest Loser RunWalk series of races, which are held across the country, are the brainchild of two former show contestants with local ties, Dan and Jackie Evans of far south suburban Frankfort. The season 5 contestants designed the RunWalks to provide a particularly non-intimidating environment and set them up to provide a longer time limit, so more participants can complete the courses. So even if you’re a newbie to running, or do more walking than actual running, you’ll feel at ease taking part in the event.
PHOTOS COURTESY BIGGEST LOSER RunWalk
