Helping and staying healthy

It's Friday night and I'm excited. 

On Saturday, I'll participate in my first ever 5k run in downtown Oklahoma City.  Not only has this opportunity given me a reason to increase my cardio exercise, but I'll be joining a large number of other News 9'ers who are running for a good cause.

The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure event is expected to draw as many as 15,000 people tomorrow morning.  

Two months ago I couldn't run a mile without nearly falling over.  Now, after weeks of training, I can clear three miles within 40 minutes and that's a huge accomplishment in my book.

I'm very thankful the higher ups here at News 9 are continuing to encourage a healthier lifestyle for us employees. 

The race follows another ‘contest' we held here at the station earlier in the summer.  We each were given pedometers and encouraged to walk as much as possible.  I think the goal was 10,000 steps a day and whoever walked the most and the end of the contest period was given some great prizes.   

We call our program here "Get Fit Griffin", and it couldn't have been launched at a more perfect time.   Earlier this year Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett put the city on a diet, and the results have drawn national attention!   The mayor has made guest appearances on Taco Bell commercials to promote low fat alternatives on the menu and he's been invited to speak about his weight loss plan on Ellen's TV show.

Personally, I've dropped around 15 pounds since January 1^st.   I credit News 9 and the city's push for all of us to wise about what we eat, how much we exercise and how to live a better lifestyle.

Rusty Surette rusty.surette@news9.net