Get Fit, St. Pete

BY MARCIA BIGGS

Take a stroll along Beach Drive or Central Avenue most evenings and weekends and you can’t help notice walkers and runners and bicyclers are everywhere. At the Pier most evenings near dusk they zip along, enjoying the cool breezes. At parks across the city, people are practicing yoga, playing pickleball and soccer, and running on trails.

St. Pete clearly is a city made for an outdoor lifestyle. The upside for residents and businesses: Studies have shown that regular activity enhances quality of life and improves selfesteem, feelings of satisfaction and mental health.

In 2015, the City of St. Pete’s Parks and Recreation Department decided to kick things up a notch. To complement an already fine parks system, the city introduced the Healthy St. Pete initiative. The goal: To build a culture of health in the city by offering residents a diverse array of outdoor activities and educational classes.

Embedded in Healthy St. Pete is Get Fit! St. Pete, a program that offers free workouts for adults in parks throughout the city. Most are geared for beginners with offerings that include pickleball, yoga, tai chi, and neighborhood walks the fourth Saturday of every month. Get Fit! leaders are community ambassadors who support the city’s mission of getting residents active and interactive with each other. For example, trainers from The Body Electric Yoga Company lead the monthly yoga classes at Crescent Lake Park; staff from St. Pete Running Company guide the Fun Run at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve.

“Get Fit classes are for any skill or knowledge level,” explains Justin Daye, Health Program Specialist for the program. “It’s also a great way to get out and visit the different parks throughout the city.”

Healthier Together

Neighborhood leaders and workplaces can become fitness ambassadors in the Get Fit! program by joining the Healthier Together initiative which offers the Healthier Together Certification Program. The certification is an assessment program that allows organizations to qualify for gold, silver, or bronze level recognition based on their total assessment score.

“The program launched in 2020 as a way for city health stakeholders, businesses and neighborhood organizations to better serve their communities and employees,” said Meagan Young, Health Program Supervisor in the city’s Parks and Recreation Department. “The program promotes wellness, encourages the adoption of healthy behaviors and establishes a support network.”

Participants take an online assessment of research-based best practices in their environment, and receive recognition from bronze, to silver, gold and platinum certifications as they work to achieve these levels. “It’s a little bit of a challenge to try to work up the ladder to the next level,” says Young. “ But we share resources on how to achieve the goals. It’s a really fun group of people who are motivated to create change and learn more and network. Most are passionate and excited and want to learn more.”

Each quarter a Healthy Together workshop is held with a health partner to increase awareness and understanding, adds Young. “Workshops also encourage networking, and are a great way for people to share their knowledge and ideas with others.”

In 2017, the St. Pete Run Fest was created under the Healthy St. Pete umbrella. “The city wanted a community inspired wellness event suitable for anyone … walkers, runners, kids and seniors,” said St. Pete Run Fest organizer Ryan Jordan.

St. Pete Run Fest

Today, the hugely popular family fest is eagerly awaited by many. Participation has doubled since 2017, says Jordan, with some 6,000 attending at least one event last year. This year’s St. Pete Run Fest, set for November 10-12, will feature a half marathon (13 miles) through the heart of downtown neighborhoods and along the waterfront, 10K and 5K races and a Youth Run (or walk) for elementary aged children. “For some people, this is the only run they do all year,” says Jordan. “They get motivated and train for it. For others, it’s one of many runs where they share camaraderie and just have a great time.”

The Run Fest is also a great way to showcase the city, adds Jordan, who is also the lead organizer for the city’s July 4th St. Pete Pier Run. “People come from all over area because they love to run in St. Pete. We try to pick a course that visitors might always not see. Our course this year showcases Old Southeast, Central Avenue, Warehouse Arts District, the EDGE and waterfront park. And we expect 3,000 lodging bed nights, so it has a good impact on the economy here.”

To learn more about Healthy St. Pete and the Get Fit! St. Pete programs, go to healthystpetefl.com . To find out more about the St. Pete Run Fest, go to stpeterunfest.org