Mankind learned to sprint because of the species-wide need to chase spritely prey, and evolved long-distance running to escape slowly approaching glaciers. Master ancestral survival skills with today's Groupon: for $12, you get one entry, plus a complimentary race t-shirt, at the United Way 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, September 24, launching at 9:30 a.m. at the I&M Canal in Willow Springs (up to a $25 value). Groupon holders will register the day of the race; registration begins at 8 a.m.

The third Annual United Way 5K Run/Walk benefits the United Way, a charity dedicated to education, familial financial stability, and healthy lifestyle choices. The paved pathways through the I&M Canal provide a comfy landing pad for trotting sneakers, as a fall canopy of shade-shifting greenery shelters runners from sunlight, wind, and low-hanging water balloons. The flat course caters to runners of all ages and fitness levels, and its safe, secluded location is off-limits to traffic. Once racers toddle across the finish line, t-shirts are draped over all participants, prizes await top finishers from each age group, and the overall fastest man, woman, and mini fridge take home a piece of championship treasure.