We all know fitness is good for us. What we might not think about is all the ways it’s good for our community, too. That is the message of Go! St. Louis founder and president Nancy Lieberman. The nonprofit’s year-round initiatives are meant to inspire St. Louisans to lead healthier lives—and by extension, create a healthier community.
“Everyone is better off when we are healthier,” says Lieberman, who points out that businesses, too, benefit when employees take care of themselves. “Not only does it reduce health care costs when people are fitter, but it also reduces sick days and increases productivity. When you take part in something as a team, you feel good about yourself and where you work.”
Over the course of a year, Go! St. Louis, which began 16 years ago, holds four or five major events for individuals and families of all ages and abilities. There is a Diaper Dash for babies and moms, a Mature Mile (for the 60-plus crowd), and everything in between: fun runs, a 5K, a full and half marathon, and a four-person marathon relay. To encourage participation, Go! St. Louis offers special entry rates to its sponsors and designated 
charities. Companies may then provide additional incentives for employees by reducing or paying their entry fees and providing team T-shirts. Lieberman says Lockton Companies-St. Louis has done a particularly good job of involving staff in Go! St. Louis events. Chris Carlson is operations services director for the independent insurance brokerage firm, which has sponsored the four-person marathon relay for the past 13 years.
“We do it as part of our company’s health and wellness program,” Carlson says. “Participating together is a fantastic way of building a strong culture and extending one’s work family.” In advance of the April marathon each year, Lockton holds three ‘lunch and learn’ informational sessions for associates planning to run. Carlson himself has completed one full and eight half Go! St. Louis marathons through Lockton. When he took part in the four-person relay, his wife and daughter were on his team.
Lockton also is a great supporter of the nonprofit’s youth initiatives, which Lieberman says reach 260 schools across the bi-state region. Healthy kids are more likely to grow up to be healthy adults, she points out. As part of ‘Students on the GO!’ high schoolers train for the half marathon and take part in other events throughout the year. On Marathon & Family Fitness Weekend, Go! St. Louis hosts a free pre-race pasta dinner for as many as 400 students. (Lieberman notes that Go! St. Louis works with physicians to ensure all youth programs are age-appropriate for growing bodies.)
Another program, the Read, Write and Run Marathon for children in grades kindergarten through fifth, aims to develop reading-proficient, physically fit and community-minded children by challenging them to read 26 books, ‘right’ the community with 26 good deeds, and run 26.2 miles over a six-month period. “Healthier kids make for better students and a healthier society generally,” Carlson adds.
Lieberman says although she leads a healthy lifestyle and is a lifelong runner, she rarely runs the races. “Unfortunately, no,” she laughs. “On marathon weekend, my staff and I have 25,000 other people to take care of.”
Photo: Tim Parker Photography
The GO! St. Louis Marathon & Family Fitness Weekend takes place April 8 through 10. For more information, call 314.727.0800 or visit gostlouis.org. Pictured on the cover: Lockton Companies EVP and chief operating officer Peter Caine; Lockton Companies president Kevin McDaniel; GO! St. Louis president Nancy Lieberman.
