As health care providers, you work together with your team, apply your skills, put your best foot forward and approach each day ready to take on whatever situation comes your way. When a team of St. Luke’s employees recently got together to compete in the Spartan Race, they used this same approach.
Inspired by ancient Spartan warriors (think Spartan 300) who embodied ultimate endurance, resilience and strength, each Spartan Race is designed to push you to tap into your highest potential and greatest strength, according to the Spartan Race website (www.spartan.com).
The Spartan Race is a series of obstacles of varying distance and difficulty. Fire jump? Barbed wire crawl? Wall climb? Carrying a bucket of rocks? Tired yet? Well, there’s still the log jump, rope climb and…anything else that lies ahead! Participants must complete the obstacles set out in front of them or perform penalty exercises.
For Justin Houck, Director, Environmental Services, St. Luke’s University Hospital – Bethlehem, participating in the Spartan Race gives him something to train for throughout the year. He says, ‘You never know what to expect so you have to train for anything that could show up on the course. It is fun being outside and challenging yourself further than you ever thought possible.’
Kevin McGovern, Vice President, Operations, St. Luke’s University Health Network, team St. Luke’s organizer, participated in his second Spartan Race — and his son and daughter joined him in the adventure. ‘My goal was to get in better shape, finish the race with a good time, not get hurt and have fun with my family and friends,’ he said. ‘I plan to participate next year and build our St. Luke’s team.’
Everyone who participated this year plans to do it again.
‘It is an opportunity to spend time with good people who also want to challenge themselves,’ medical student Colin Caverly, Temple/St. Luke’s School of Medicine, said.
From St. Luke’s University Health Network
