Boyd is the director of the fitness center at St. James Academy, a facility that opened at the start of the 2008-2009 school year for use by students, faculty and – for a $25 fee – parents and members of the surrounding neighborhood.
Including state-of-the-art treadmills, elliptical trainers and weight machines, Boyd said all students, not just members of the Thunder sports teams, were encouraged to make regular use of the equipment.
Such a facility inside a school is a rare luxury, and the students were careful to treat it that way.
“They utilize it, they take good care of it,” said Boyd, whose own children attend St. James. “When they’re in there, they’re not fooling around.”
Once the students returned from Christmas break in early January, however, Boyd was looking for a way to get even more of them involved. While it’s not uncommon for more than 50 students to stay and work out after school, a daily exercise regimen is something that could benefit everyone.
As someone who once struggled with her own fitness, Boyd made a commitment to living a healthier lifestyle several years ago and hasn’t looked back, eventually obtaining certification as a personal trainer with the American Council on Exercise.
“I came about this later in life,” she said. “I made a lifestyle change and was motivated to help other people do it.”
That’s why, in collaboration with the school’s cross country team, Boyd implemented the Marathon Challenge.
Beginning Jan. 12, students, staff and family members were asked to keep track of their walking and running during the following several weeks, ending Feb. 24 – ‘Fat Tuesday’ and the start of the Lenten season.
The goal was for each individual to reach 26.2 miles, Boyd said, or the length of a standard marathon. Participants were allowed to keep track of running and walking miles both indoor and outdoor, as well as those performed on a treadmill or elliptical trainer.
Ideally, not only would the event help promote use of the fitness center, but participants would use it to kick-start an exercise habit. Typically, the winter sports season offers less opportunity than its spring counterpart.
“There’s actually a national program that encourages schools to do these types of things, like cumulative marathons,” Boyd said. “I wanted to do something in the winter, when they don’t have a lot of things going on.”
Though she hoped for 100 participants, the reality far exceeded Boyd’s expectations. More than 150 students, faculty, and staff signed up, and approximately one-third saw it through to completion.
The program culminated with a one-mile fun run — the Mardi Gras Mile — Feb. 24, and participants received a T-shirt, Mardi Gras beads and a slice of cake for their efforts.
Already looking toward next year, Boyd felt that the program was well worth the effort.
“If you can start a program and get one person who was touched, then I think it’s been a success,” she said. “And I know we reached more than one.”
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