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Healthy lifestyle: some like to run

(October 5, 2000, Gazette)

MUNMED Runners: Geoff Payne, Jim Woodrow, Kathy Olsen, Natalie Bridges and Shirley Granter Button Photo by HSIMS
Some of the MUNMED runners (L-R) Geoff Payne, Jim Woodrow, Kathy Olsen, Natalie Bridges and Shirley Granter Button.

By Sharon Gray

Running is a favourite leisure activity around the Faculty of Medicine. Some run for fun, others take it quite seriously and train for marathons and other competitions such as the Ironman which involve gruelling hours of swimming, biking and running.

Dr. Penny Moody-Corbett, the faculty’s assistant dean for research and graduate studies, is an avid runner and she enjoys the fact that others working around her enjoy it too. So for fun, she posted some notices around the building inviting “MUNMED” runners to show up for a group photo one morning. About 40 people came, and everyone knew of others who ran too, but just couldn’t make it to the photo for various reasons.

More MUNMED Runners

Photo by HSIMS
A group of the many MUNMED runners.

Natalie Bridges is a first-year medical student who runs five to 10 kilometres a day to keep in shape. Soccer is her primary passion and running is a way to keep fit for that sport. Fellow first-year student Kathy Olsen also runs that distance at least five to six days a week. “I used to run track in high school and now I find it’s a good stress reliever.”

Ed Evelly, the manager of the Medical School Laboratories, is famous around the building for his award-winning triathlete activities. A typical day for him might involve starting off with a 2,500 metre swim, a lunch-hour run or some weight training, and biking or running in the evening. He got into this physical regime when his father died 25 years ago of a heart attack at the age of 58. He’s a strong believer in the value of fitness and is pleased that to have low blood pressure and a very low resting heart rate.

“Running and/or triathlons are an important part of the life of many health care professionals and students – it’s good to see so many interested,” he said.

But although Mr. Evelly enjoys the competitive aspect of fitness activities, he is quick to point out that not everyone has to take this to the extreme as he does on occasion.

“You don’t have to be competitive. A walk around the trails would suffice to make many fitter than they are.”

Shirley Granter Button, a research assistant, started running a few years ago and finds it’s a great way to keep in shape. She’s participated in a few 10 kilometre runs and a few marathons.

Jim Woodrow, a psychologist with the St. John’s Health Care Corporation, started out to improve his fitness level in 1997 and joined in with a group of runners at the Y. “Later that year I did my first marathon and I haven’t stopped since. I run almost every day and recently did my sixth marathon in St. John’s.”

Geoff Payne, a doctoral student in medicine, is quite serious about his running, and in 1999 participated in an Ironman competition in British Columbia. “Just to complete it is a good feat,” he acknowledges.

Dr. Moody-Corbett says running is only one method of having a healthy lifestyle and other activities such a walking, cycling, aerobic and swimming are beneficial. But she particularly enjoys running, especially when the weather is nice.

“I like taking the time to be alone and sort though issues that come up during the day or week. A long run really has a way of covering a lot of mental and physical space.”