Fitness Goes Green

There’s no question that exercise is good for us—from improving sleep and cardiovascular health to decreasing the risk of stroke and depression. But, for many, monotonous gym routines can begin to feel like a chore. 

Personal trainer Amy Habrack spent the greater half of her career inside a gym before deciding fitness need not be so rigid. 

“Regular gyms are just kind of a turn and burn, like you’re in and out,” says Habrack, who worked in, opened, and ran gyms across the country throughout her 20s.

According to the American Council on Exercise, “green”—or outdoor—exercise is more impactful to cardiovascular and mental health and in lowering blood pressure than indoor exercise. It also proves more helpful in managing stress and boosting mood and self-esteem.

Jeff Harris, owner of Run With It in Fort Walton Beach, says he can’t imagine running on an indoor treadmill.

“I just think being outside is so good for you,” he says. “Feeling the sun on you, the wind in your face.”

And it offers a more intense workout, too. Harris and wife Donna host a Tuesday night run club and organize and direct area races and marathons alongside the Northwest Florida Track Club. 

“We get people in occasionally that don’t like running outside for whatever reason, usually it’s too hot, too humid, and they run on treadmills,” Harris says. “They can run six miles, no problem. When they go to run outside, it’s a totally different animal.”

Habrack says there’s something special about exercising in our mostly temperate climate. 

“You’re not confined to a small space; it’s just wide-open air,” she says. “And I think that is a huge benefit.”

After moving to Panama City Beach in 2016, Habrack began to crave an exercise routine surrounded by trees and blue sky instead of drywall. Too, she craved community. 

“I knew I didn’t want to get back inside a gym, but I wanted to share my knowledge,” Habrack says. “For me, selfishly, I wanted that community, and I needed it.”

Habrack resolved to bring the female-focused Sweat Like a Mother (SLAM) fitness regimen to the area and opened the Panhandle’s first SLAM location in PCB, an option convenient for moms with young children. The group meets for hour-long morning workouts at Frank Brown Park, where they combine strength training and cardio in an outdoor routine built around one vital piece of equipment—the stroller. 

Career gym rat Amy Habrack ditched the confinement of indoor exercise after moving to Panama City Beach in 2016. Today, she leads Sweat Like a Mother (SLAM) classes at Frank Brown Park. The regimen is centered around one main piece of equipment—the stroller. Photo by Mike Fender

“You exert a minimum of 30 percent more energy when you are pushing that load,” Habrack says. “It actually is beneficial to push during your workout.”

Led by Habrack, the routine starts with stroller-pushing cardio throughout the park. Along the way, the group stops at three designated stations for a variety of 10-minute functional exercises using mats and dumbbells. The course is repeated until the hour is up. 

“As women, it’s important that we strength train,” Habrack says. “At those functional stations, we are lifting weight that is challenging.”

According to the Office on Women’s Health, muscle mass decline begins at age 30 with a 3 to 5 percent loss per decade. An advanced rate of loss can lead to sarcopenia, a condition common among 10 to 20 percent of older adults. 

“We have to make sure that we are continuing to lift those weights, and heavier weights,” Habrack says. “People are afraid of them, but we have to push some weights around—it’s so important.”

In Fort Walton Beach, Harris’ Tuesday run group—anywhere from 20 to 60 runners—has been at it since he first opened Run With It 16 years ago.  

“This is just a purely community-driven, grassroots deal,” Harris says. “It’s fun. Everybody does their own pace, their own distance.” 

The group follows a safe, well-lit route in the area surrounding Mooney Road. Water is available along the way. Back at the store afterward, the crew congregates to socialize over a beer. 

“You get your group of people  that you run with, and all of a sudden, they’re your best friends,” Harris says. “In the 16 years, we’ve probably had a half-dozen couples meet and get married.”

Outside of their regular fitness routines, Habrack hosts a monthly moms’ night out with members of the PCB SLAM group and organizes group jogs and playgroups for those with kids.

“It’s not just the workout; it’s so much more than that,” she says.

Races organized by Run With It and the Northwest Florida Track Club focus on community, too, regularly raising funds for area organizations including the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge, the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), the Fort Walton Beach Fire Department’s holiday toy drive, and the local high schools.

“We actually were able to get this track built at Fort Walton Beach High School,” Harris says. “At this point, we’ve raised over $200,000 for the high school track.”

The track, installed about four years ago and shared by Fort Walton Beach and Choctaw high schools, was upgraded to rubber from asphalt. It has improved the quality of running for students and allowed the schools to host meets. 

At race after-parties hosted by local establishments like AJ’s on the Bayou, hard work culminates in awards ceremonies, good food and drink, and great company. 

After all, community proves as impactful to health as a green fitness routine.