Losing Takes Stage at Kickoff

Losing Takes Stage at Kickoff

By JEFF WINDMUELLER, Helena Independent Record | April 20, 2011

Carrie Severson no longer has trouble making it up her favorite hiking trails around Helena. She can even throw an extra pack on her back now that she’s lost more than 100 pounds over the last year.

Severson, 30, the winner of Blue Cross Blue Shield Montana’s Wake Up Your Life weight loss challenge, spoke words of encouragement to the crowd of 100 or so who braved the brisk breeze blowing at the corner of Lawrence and Last Chance Gulch Tuesday afternoon for the kickoff to the 2011 Governor’s Cup, which begins June 10.

Tuesday’s event also served as an opportunity for BCBSMT to promote healthier living through exercise and eating and their weight loss challenge program at wellwithbluemt.com. More than 5,000 signed up for the program and have combined for 4.5 tons of lost weight since Jan. 1, represented by eight enormous haybales that were parked along the side of the street.

Severson added a small portion of that when she joined a team of coworkers from Lewis and ClarkCounty to use the online program. It was just a small part of the weight that she set her goal to lose on April 6, 2010.

“I was just leading a sedentary lifestyle. I started gaining weight in college and between eating healthy and not exercising regularly, it got worse and worse,” Severson said. “I couldn’t even go for the hikes that I enjoyed, and that’s my true passion.

“It’s freeing. It provides me with relaxation and refreshment. All the feelings that come with being out.”

She no longer has problems traversing mountain trails with her husband, Eric Wheeler, who has also lost about 25 pounds over the course of the year, or with their dog Zeke.

While Severson’s passion is for cutting through the trees that surround the outlying area, she was encouraged by BCBSMT’s online program to try new forms of exercise, everything from bicycling and Zumba classes to water aerobics.

“(The program is) encouraging,” she said. “It provides new ideas for exercise. And, I think it’s easier for people to lose weight in a group setting.”

The attendees of the big kickoff were certainly huddling together for bits and pieces of the event as even BCBSMT President and CEO Mike Frank joked about the weather when addressing the crowd. He recollected the cold, rainy conditions during last year’s Governor’s Cup races and figured the particpants were just getting it out of the way this year.

“Let’s hear it for great weather in June and a great Governor’s Cup!” he said to some cheers from the crowd, which just beat the snowfall that fell down in the late afternoon.

They had plenty of other activities to warm them up as Anneliese Smith, the health and wellness fitness educator at BCBSMT, brought enough energy alone to pump up the crowd. She led the group in some knee bends and warm-up stretches to start the event.

Later, members of the Helz Belz rollerderby team joined young girls in tu-tus from the Queen City Ballet Company to form a colorful collaboration of dancers, led by the local Zumba Rocks troupe.

Smith said that rollerskating and dance are among those alternative activities BCBSMT has been pushing to keep people exercising and having fun.

“We’re here to help them get motivated and moving in any shape and form,” she said.

It works for Amber Coddington, who wasn’t afraid to bare short-shorts and a tattered baby-blue Governor’s Cup shirt in the wind while balancing on her rollerskates for the dance. She stayed warm by trying to lift her 8-pound skates for each routine.

Coddington joined Helz Belz to have fun and stay in shape, but has seen other important aspects of the exercise.

“I really wanted to be the cool mom at all the PTA meetings,” said the mother of three.

Severson and Thomas Jodoin — the local winner of both the 10- and 5-kilometer races last year — both stepped onto the platform to encourage the group to continue their healthy ways.

With the beloved half-marathon making a return to this summer’s Governor’s Cup, Jodoin wanted to address some rumors.

“I suppose with the half-marathon this year, you’re going to expect me to race all three,” he prodded Frank.

“If you win all three, I think we can waive your entry fee,” Frank joked later.

Jodoin, a city attorney, said he was proud to run alongside others, like good friend Pat Judge, who has run in the previous 38 races since his father — former governor Thomas Judge — began the tradition.

“It promotes a healthy lifestyle in Helena,” Jodoin said to the crowd. “It’s for a good cause, it’s for the health of our children.

“It’s 52 days to the race, so I hope you’ll be ready to run.”

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