Our UF-UF Health inaugural Get up and Go! Couch to 5K program recently earned third-place honors from the National Wellness Challenge, sponsored by the National Consortium for Building Healthy Academic Communities.

A program of the UF-UF Health Wellness Committee and GatorCare, Get up and Go! Couch to 5K has inspired nearly 100 UF and UF Health Shands employees to run a 5K, with more than half the participants doing so for the first time.

Participants were provided resources to identify a 5K in the area as well as free pedometers, online resources and training guides, recommended apps and the chance to participate in a Facebook community.

“We are so pleased to receive this award for the inaugural Couch to 5K program. It’s very rewarding to see employees get involved in their health and we hope to greatly expand the reach in the next round of this program,” said Mary Alice Albritton, GatorCare director. “There are many excellent wellness opportunities provided for employees, regardless of their insurance coverage. It’s important to encourage our friends and colleagues to make their health a priority and through these offerings, we want to support those healthy decisions.”

To learn more about this program and other free wellness resources, visit GatorCare.org/Wellness.