Run, Stroll and Roll: Volunteering for Health

Logan Storie enjoying a game of cornhole

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A cool breeze wisped through the air as resident athletes of the Olympic Training Center gathered in America the Beautiful Park to discuss the importance of proper nutrition and exercise.

The athletes were volunteering at the nonprofit organization Own Your Own Health’s inaugural “Run, Stroll and Roll” event. 

Own Your Own Health was established in 2010 with the vision of becoming a leader in helping individuals get involved with their health and healthcare systems. 

The “Run, Stroll and Roll” event was focused on getting people active to take control of their health.

“Moving around, getting your heart pumping, it makes your body feel better and gets your metabolism going, gets your immune system going and keeps you healthier,” said Timothy Scott, a weightlifting Olympic hopeful for the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games.

Modern pentathlete Logan Storie gave his input on the importance of staying active.  “First not only do you feel better when you’re exercising and eating healthy, I find you can do a lot more physically and mentally.  It allows you to stay focused in your day-to-day activities.”

2012 Olympic wrestler Kelsey Campbell  added, “if you’re not taking care of your body you’re not going to be able to perform in whatever things that you have going on and so that means different things to different people.  It’s important; we all want to live full lives.  A lot of it comes down to our decisions.”

The athletes spoke with community members and enjoyed a little rest and relaxation from their strenuous workout regiments, as members of the Colorado Springs community ran in a timed 5k and one mile run.

“Sometimes you meet people who’ve never met a female wrestler, they’ve never met an Olympian, and it’s special for them.  So it’s special for me when I meet people who get excited about it,” Campbell said of being involved in the event.

Timothy Scott throwing his Frisbee golf disc

Campbell explained, “Have a plan, and get input.  If you don’t work with a nutritionist or trainer, just ask somebody you know.  Everyone knows somebody that exercises.  Getting a lot of input, looking stuff up online and just getting a plan, like ‘I’m going to work [out] three days a week’.  Just having a plan, and deciding to do it.”

Johanna Gartman, a triathlon and Olympic hopeful for Rio, agreed with Campbell, “for exercising I just plant little goals in front of me, the next race, or long goals like 2016 and looking at those goals while exercising helps me to look past all the hard stuff that’s going on or how my body is feeling, but really just focus on the outcome.”

Small games of cornhole broke out at the event, along with a contest to see who could sink the first putt during a Frisbee golf demonstration.

Once the activities were completed, everyone walked away with a smile on their face.

“I have a lot of respect for people who do it [focus on exercise and nutrition] just because they want to be healthy.  I do it because it’s my job and I have to, but a lot of the people that we meet at these things they do it because they want to live a good lifestyle,” Campbell said.  “I have a lot of respect for that, so it’s cool to meet those types of people.”