PRACTICING FAITH THROUGH FITNESS Women's running club strengthens members spiritually and physically Far from a typical running group, a new women's half marathon training club started at the beginning of the fall semester. Called Fit4Christ, this club focused on not only physically strengthening its members but spiritually strengthening them as well. Meredith Whitman, a junior biochemistry and molecular biology major, had the idea to start this running group over the summer. She began running in junior high to stay in shape for other sports, but it became a passion for her that she wanted to share with other women. The group met four times a week and followed a training program called "Katy Fit" that Whitman began over the summer. Each week the runners slowly increased intensity and distance so that they were not burned out or completely exhausted. The fitness plan allowed their bodies time to get accustomed to the distances and improve endurance. They also did sprints and hill work to vary their training and target different muscle groups. Ranging from experienced competitors to beginners, this group met the needs of Cheerleaders Est. 1959: Row 1: L. Couch, H. Nowakowski, K. Blickenstaff, T. Mote. Row 2: B. Grymes, P Templeton, B. Clements, E. Dobnikar, J. Landis. Row 3: S. Jackson, K. Lester, S. Coleman, T. Jones, A. Ezell. 222 1 Organizations every type of runner. Runners attended as many sessions during the week as they could and ran with people who matched their skill level. Whitman wanted the club to focus on training for a half marathon but more importantly on building relationships with other girls and becoming closer to God. "Running just bonds you," Whitman said. "My challenge is to find someone to run with. And if you're not running with someone, take that time to meditate and pray about things." Every time they met, the group took prayer requests and prayed before they ran. "I think the camaraderie we build and the support system drew me to Fit4Christ at first, but the spiritual side is so much more important," freshman Shelby Roberts said. "Knowing that you have a group of girls praying for you is a wonderful feeling." Alyssa Anderson, a sophomore biomedical engineering major, had been running since eighth grade and was excited to join Fit4Christ. She looked forward to the spiritual aspect it added to running. "We run to strengthen the spirit as well as the body," Anderson said. "It's uplifting to Women's Ultimate Frisbee Est. 2005: Row 1: S. English, S. Hansen, K. Gerstenlauer, A. Pruett. Row 2: E. Strandvold, J. Linton, B. Mundy, M. Hoehn, A. Mazak, E. Turner. Row 3: T. Jackson, M. Hyde, S. Roberts, M. Barlow, K. Kremer. Row 4: H. Buchberger, J. Thomas, K. Jones, M. Whitman. Row 5: H. Petty, A. Sanders, B. Rice, N. Raihala. Row 6: K. McNichols, P. Absher, J. Bissonnette. be a part of such a positive and encouraging group of women." Fit4Christ also had aT-shirt fund raiser, which raised $500, for a soup kitchen where Whitman volunteered while in Greece for the Harding University study abroad program. Operated by Matt Gully, the soup kitchen provided free meals to people in need while also feeding them spiritually with Bible studies and skits. "I definitely wanted to do something for God with this club," Whitman said about starting Fit4Christ. The group ran the Bison Stampede 5K during Homecoming weekend and the Color Run in Little Rock Nov. 10. Running with a support group and connecting to a cause that helped others in need defined Fit4Christ as a community and serviceoriented organization. "Fit4Christ is a group of girls that genuinely care for and love each other," junior Sarah English said. "Every woman who comes out has shown me the love of Christ and has helped me grow closer to Him through our conversation and through praying together." Rachel Weiss Fit4Christ Est. 2012: Row 1: V. Strother, M. Denton, T. Tessazuniga, L. Landrum, A. Galbier, L. Russell. Row 2: R. Swift, S. Roberts, K. Clement, L. Chambers, A. Peralta, S. English. Row 3: E. Jacobs, L. Elias, D. Fontanel, S. Hodge, J. Reichel. Row 4: A. Browning, S. Holup, P. Whitman, K. Young, M. Whitman. Row 5: A. Ruhl, M. Glazener, B. Gibbons. Row 6: R. Collinge, J. Lindsey, C. Curtis.
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