Campus News

Lead by Example - Future Nurses Run 10 K

10/18/11
This September a group of nursing and pre-nursing students, from the Worthington Campus, ran the Annual Turkey Day 10 K race around Lake Okabena to lead by example.

(Students pictured left to right: Josh Pomeranke, Petra Grimmius, Faith Wall, Nicole Lohr, Whitney Apel, Kayla Schalhaas, Shy Spangler)

The nursing students started thinking about running the 10 K last school year while discussing what kind of events take place during “Turkey Day” and hearing about, fellow classmate, Petra Grimmius running the race. Whitney Apel and other students were very interested in Worthington’s annual celebration and especially impressed with Petra for running the 10k.

At the end of last school year Whitney, Petra and a number of other students made plans to run the 2011 Turkey Day 10K. Throughout the summer they got together to work out about 2 or 3 times a week so that they would stay on track and could help encourage each other. Whitney didn’t think she could run a 10 K alone, but with the support from the other students and a common goal she knew she would be able to accomplish it.

At orientation they shared their idea to lead by example and invited any other students interested in running the 10 k to join them. “Being nurses we felt it was important to be healthy individuals and to promote health and wellness to the community,” said Petra. By the time Turkey Day rolled around 5 other students joined Petra and Whitney with blue Minnesota West T-shirts to lead by example and run the 10 K. 
Petra is a Worthington Native and this was her 5th time running in the 10K. “I enjoy being part of the run. It’s not so much about the race, but just about being active and healthy,” stated Petra.

Whitney said, “It is important to lead by example and I hope to inspire others to start running and to live healthy lifestyles.”

The students who ran this year are already talking about running again next year and hope to possibly start a tradition.