Looking for a pick-me-up or a mental or physical boost? Get outside the box — that brick-and-mortar box called the office.
In December 1960, President-elect John F. Kennedy, concerned about the declining fitness of the U.S. population, wrote a letter to the public titled “The Soft American.” He observed that our loss of “physical vigor” could compromise the ability to defend ourselves during war and to prosper during peacetime.
He remarked “if our bodies grow soft and inactive, if we fail to encourage physical development and prowess, we will undermine our capacity for thought, for work and for the use of those skills vital to an expanding and complex America … We will be unable to realize our full potential as a nation.”
JFK Challenge
In an effort to reverse this “softening” trend, Kennedy challenged the U.S. Marines to cover 50 miles on foot in 20 hours or less through a rough and rugged course that traverses the Appalachian Trail and the C&O Canal Towpath in Washington County, Md.
He did not challenge the troops to go to the gym or go on a diet. He challenged them to go outside.
Not only did the Marines respond, our country also responded. Scouts, high school and college students, policemen, staffers and families took on the challenge.
In 1963, Bobby Kennedy, then U.S. Attorney General, finished the walking challenge in 17 hours and 50 minutes.
In 1968, Donna Aycoth was the first woman to run the course with a finish time of 10 hours and 41 minutes.
In 2007, 13-year-old cross-country runner MacKenzie Riford ran side-by-side with her mom and finished with a time of 11 hours and 57 minutes. In 2010, Brian Dumm became the first U.S. military competitor to win the race with a remarkable time of 5 hours and 52 minutes.
Today, the JFK 50 Mile is the oldest, largest and most beautiful ultramarathon in the U.S.
Alive, caring
and recharged
Research shows that when people spend time outside they feel more alive, caring and generous. Interaction with nature leads to cognitive, physiological, social and spiritual benefits.
Social scientists have found that exposure to green space and nature is recharging, and leads to attentional recovery and reduction of mental fatigue.
Additionally, outdoor activities are known to help alleviate symptoms of Alzheimer’s, dementia, stress and depression. Interactions with nature help cultivate imagination and creativity, cognitive and intellectual development, and social relationships.
In today’s urban society, being outdoors is critical to maximize our lives and intellect and to balance the many hours that we spend working indoors.
JBA Health & Wellness Committee
With these many benefits in mind, Chair Alison Sausaman (Marks Gray) and Vice Chair Jeremy Paul (Dawson Orr) of our new health and wellness committee and committee members Jessica Mathis (Wicker Smith), Carolyn Zisser (Zisser Family Law), Jill Bechtold (Marks Gray), Beth Luna (The Luna Law Firm) and Adam Edgecombe (Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer) are planning some outside-the-box networking events to maximize our relationships, recharge our lives and get us connected in new ways.
I invite you to take advantage of these opportunities to create more genuine and long-lasting connections that could make a significant difference in your business and family life.
Kennedy commented, “All of us must consider our own responsibilities for the physical vigor of our children and of the young men and women of our community. We do not want to become a generation of spectators. Rather, we want to be a participant in the vigorous life.”
I encourage you to go outside the box, be active, have fun and soak up the sun so that you can be re-energized and can help maximize the presence, health and wealth of our members and our community, and make The Jacksonville Bar Association the best it can be.